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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bank — for money
  3. board — to get on
  4. track — to keep track
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. object — to protest
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. object — a thing
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. file — a document
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. key — in music
  19. track — a path
  20. object — an aim
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a line of people

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