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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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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: patient · row · last · key · toast · spring · kick · pound

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. key — for a lock
  4. last — final
  5. pound — a weight
  6. spring — a coil
  7. last — to go on
  8. spring — the season
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. row — a line
  11. last — finally
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. key — in music
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. spring — of water
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. toast — bread

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