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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.

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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. bank — for money
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. track — to keep track
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — a path
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pass — a permit
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bank — for money
  19. track — a song
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lean — thin
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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