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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — in music
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. drill — the tool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. branch — a division
  14. drill — army training
  15. suit — clothes
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — in cards
  21. drill — a practice
  22. key — the most important part
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. nail — for a hammer

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