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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mate — a partner
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. key — the most important part
  6. scale — in music
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. key — for a lock
  10. scale — size or range
  11. chip — for betting
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. roll — a cake
  19. key — in music
  20. roll — a list
  21. mate — to breed
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bank — for money
  24. roll — on a roll

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