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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
468
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 · deal · bark · mouse · pitcher · cabinet · bass · patient

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bass — low music
  8. key — in music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cabinet — ministers

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