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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 ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. hand — in cards
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. band — a music group
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rock — music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bank — for money
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rash — hasty
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. vault — a safe
  19. key — in music
  20. hand — help
  21. rash — a series
  22. band — a ring
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rock — a stone

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