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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. swing — to play on
  4. track — a song
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. swing — music
  8. key — in music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — government
  12. bore — to tire
  13. track — to keep track
  14. key — for a lock
  15. track — a path
  16. swing — in golf
  17. mug — a face
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bore — to drill
  21. key — the most important part
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rule — a law
  24. hand — 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