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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. key — in music
  3. bank — of a river
  4. sharp — clever
  5. track — a path
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bank — for money
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. key — for a lock
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. net — in sport
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wound — an injury
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wound — an injury
  21. net — after costs
  22. track — a song
  23. calf — a young animal
  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