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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rule — government
  4. key — in music
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. key — for a lock
  8. spell — magic
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. season — of the year
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. key — the most important part
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. season — in sport
  18. rash — a series
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — for pool
  21. spell — letters
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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