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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · bat · mate · drill · patient · wake · club · key

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mate — a friend
  7. club — for golf
  8. drill — army training
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. key — the most important part
  11. club — for dancing
  12. drill — the tool
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. key — in music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — a practice
  17. club — a group
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mate — to breed
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bat — the animal

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