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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · bank · pitcher · row · key · rash · patient · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rash — a series
  3. row — a line
  4. key — in music
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bank — for money
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bank — for money
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bank — of a river
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — hasty
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mug — a cup
  24. key — the most important part

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