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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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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: key · calf · net · bay · fine · jam · bound · pass

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pass — a permit
  4. key — for a lock
  5. net — in sport
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. key — in music
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fine — all right
  10. net — after costs
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — certain
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. net — for catching
  18. bound — tied together
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bound — obliged

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