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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 124 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cell — in biology
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cell — a phone
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rock — music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. key — in music
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cue — for pool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cue — a hint
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. perch — for a bird

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