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

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. current — of water
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bore — to tire
  6. chip — for betting
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. key — in music
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chip — to eat
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bank — for money
  16. bore — to drill
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hand — help

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