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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 · toast · suit · snap · wind · bound · scale · patient

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wind — moving air
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bound — obliged
  8. scale — in music
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. key — in music
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. suit — to fit
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wind — moving air
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. scale — size or range
  21. toast — bread
  22. key — the most important part
  23. snap — to click
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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