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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
468
Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. key — in music
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. kick — in football
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitch — completely
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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