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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. object — a thing
  3. wound — an injury
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — to handle
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wound — an injury
  15. key — in music
  16. rule — government
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. key — for a lock
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rule — a law
  24. deal — an agreement

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