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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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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: wake · leaves · key · stick · present · calf · drill · bank

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. key — the most important part
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — a trail
  10. drill — the tool
  11. present — there
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. present — the time now
  18. key — in music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. drill — army training
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bank — for money
  24. calf — of the leg

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