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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: pitcher · rash · key · can · leaves · fall · ball · calf

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a great time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. can — a tin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. key — in music
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rash — a series
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fall — to drop

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