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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: foot · squash · bay · rock · stand · wound · key · patient

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wound — an injury
  6. squash — to crush
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rock — a stone
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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