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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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. key — in music
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. foot — a measure
  6. key — for a lock
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — a thing
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. object — an aim
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rule — government
  21. pass — a permit
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. object — to protest
  24. foot — part of the body

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