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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: fork · snap · pitcher · shower · bass · calf · cabinet · key

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — in music
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — the most important part
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. snap — to click
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fork — in a road

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