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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. net — for catching
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rash — a series
  6. land — a country
  7. key — in music
  8. bank — for money
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. land — to come down
  13. bank — of a river
  14. net — in sport
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rash — hasty
  20. saw — the tool
  21. land — ground
  22. key — for a lock
  23. net — after costs
  24. mate — a partner

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