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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. capital — money
  5. key — for a lock
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bank — for money
  8. rash — a series
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bore — to drill
  16. kick — in football
  17. bore — to tire
  18. key — in music
  19. capital — a city
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rash — hasty
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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