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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.

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: key · patient · pit · wound · coach · bulb · bay · fan

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bulb — for light
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wound — an injury
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. key — in music
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. key — for a lock

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