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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bank — for money
  3. key — for a lock
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. foot — a measure
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. can — to be able to
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bank — of a river
  13. key — in music
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. branch — a division
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. ball — a great time
  20. can — a tin
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stand — to bear
  24. can — a tin

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