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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. key — in music
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. firm — steady
  5. hand — in cards
  6. staff — a stick
  7. firm — a company
  8. key — for a lock
  9. dip — to sink
  10. staff — employees
  11. mark — a trace
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. firm — decided
  15. ball — a great time
  16. staff — employees
  17. key — the most important part
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mark — a grade

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