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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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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. craft — boats
  3. season — in sport
  4. bank — for money
  5. season — of the year
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. craft — a skill
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money

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