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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. firm — steady
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — to trim
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. firm — a company
  17. bank — of a river
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bank — for money
  22. prune — to trim
  23. firm — decided
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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