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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 124 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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. key — in music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rest — a break
  6. spell — letters
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rule — government
  13. spell — magic
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rule — a law
  20. bark — to shout
  21. key — the most important part
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. leaves — lets stay

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