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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. key — the most important part
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spell — letters
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rule — government
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. key — in music
  13. pit — a hole
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wax — to grow
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rule — to rule out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com