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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: bay · patient · calf · nail · pit · shower · hand · key

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pit — in a race
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pit — a hole
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. hand — help
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. shower — rain
  24. key — for a lock

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