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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bank — of a river
  8. key — in music
  9. fine — all right
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. kick — in football
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bank — for money
  18. fine — a penalty

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