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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 120 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — in music
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — in a race
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. land — ground
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. object — a thing
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. land — to come down
  18. fine — high quality
  19. object — an aim
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. object — to protest
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fine — all right

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