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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. key — for a lock
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. key — in music
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. pass — a permit
  13. spell — letters
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — magic
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. tube — a container
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pitch — completely
  24. tube — the underground

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