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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 · charge · staff · hide · degree · patient · cabinet · bank

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bank — of a river
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. degree — an amount
  6. staff — a stick
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. charge — a price
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. key — in music
  15. degree — temperature
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — employees
  21. charge — electricity
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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