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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 116 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. row — a line
  3. file — a line of people
  4. row — to paddle
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bank — for money
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. charge — a price
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. file — a tool
  13. pop — to visit
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. charge — electricity
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. key — in music
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — soda
  20. file — a document
  21. pop — music
  22. rush — hurry
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — to hurry

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