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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: calf · pass · rock · firm · band · pitcher · perch · key

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. key — in music
  3. rock — music
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. firm — a company
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. firm — steady
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. firm — decided
  13. band — a music group
  14. pass — a permit
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rock — a stone
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pass — to spend time

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