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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 piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bank — of a river
  3. key — for a lock
  4. chest — of your body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bank — for money
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bank — for money
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pound — a weight
  17. key — the most important part
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — a box
  23. branch — a division
  24. suit — clothes

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