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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.

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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: pop · spring · saw · patient · suit · key · kick · track

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pop — soda
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. key — the most important part
  7. track — to keep track
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spring — of water
  11. kick — in football
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pop — music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pop — to visit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. suit — clothes
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. spring — the season
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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