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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: object · bay · bank · bulb · key · pit · patient · drill

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pit — a hole
  7. object — to protest
  8. drill — army training
  9. bank — for money
  10. object — an aim
  11. pit — in a race
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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