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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. net — for catching
  4. swing — to play on
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. key — in music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rash — hasty
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rash — a series
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. swing — music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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