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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. object — an aim
  3. hand — help
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. hand — in cards
  8. spell — magic
  9. object — a thing
  10. spell — a short time
  11. key — the most important part
  12. snap — to click
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. object — to protest
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — letters
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ruler — a monarch

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