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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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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. stand — to bear
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. key — for a lock
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. face — to point toward
  14. chip — to eat
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. face — part of the head
  17. ball — a dance
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. kick — in football
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. face — to confront

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