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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.

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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 · jam · sharp · scale · lean · mouse · bear · patient

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lean — thin
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bear — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. scale — in music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. sharp — clever
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mouse — the animal

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