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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ball — a dance
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pop — music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pop — to visit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. drill — army training
  16. key — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pop — soda
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. deal — to handle
  21. key — for a lock
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. scale — in music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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