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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. key — in music
  4. net — for catching
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pit — in a race
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. net — after costs
  11. key — the most important part
  12. scale — in music
  13. rash — a series
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. net — in sport
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. scale — size or range

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