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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · leaves · bore · mark · file · patient · cue · bat

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cue — a signal
  7. file — a document
  8. key — the most important part
  9. file — a tool
  10. mark — a trace
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cue — a hint
  20. file — a line of people
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bat — the animal
  24. leaves — of a tree

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