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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bank — for money
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. capital — a city
  5. bass — low music
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kid — child
  10. bank — for money
  11. bass — the fish
  12. capital — money
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. charge — in control
  15. bank — of a river
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. branch — a division
  24. kid — to tease

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