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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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. march — the month
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. season — of the year
  8. ground — a position
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. key — the most important part
  12. march — the month
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. season — in sport
  18. ground — crushed
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. key — for a lock
  21. dip — to sink
  22. ground — the earth
  23. march — music
  24. pass — a permit

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