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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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468
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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mate — a partner
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mate — to breed
  13. key — the most important part
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. key — for a lock
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. key — in music
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rush — hurry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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