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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.

Make a worksheet

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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · wave · spring · patient · mouse · arm · key · can

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. firm — a company
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. firm — steady
  8. can — a tin
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. spring — of water
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. can — to be able to
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. firm — decided
  21. key — for a lock
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. spring — the season
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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