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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 116 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 · calf · pit · suit · pitcher · game · bound · fine

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fine — all right
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. key — in music
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. key — for a lock
  18. game — wild animals
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pit — in a race
  24. game — a match

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