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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — a weight
  4. key — for a lock
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bank — of a river
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. tube — a container
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bank — for money
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. snap — to click
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rest — what's left
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rest — a break
  24. tube — the underground

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