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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: mark · object · key · branch · patient · calf · mouse · clip

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. key — the most important part
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. key — in music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. clip — a video
  7. object — a thing
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. clip — to cut
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — an aim
  13. branch — a division
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. key — for a lock
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. object — to protest
  23. clip — for paper
  24. patient — a sick person

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