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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: pitcher · bank · can · toast · patient · key · snap · shower

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. key — the most important part
  3. can — a tin
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. key — for a lock
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bank — for money
  10. shower — rain
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. snap — to click
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bank — of a river
  20. key — in music
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. pitcher — a jug

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