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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bank — for money
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. march — music
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. march — the month
  7. key — in music
  8. track — a path
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bank — of a river
  11. present — a gift
  12. deal — to handle
  13. track — a song
  14. chip — for betting
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. march — the month
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bank — for money
  21. chip — to eat
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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