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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bank — for money
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. pop — soda
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — in music
  10. track — to keep track
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — a path
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pop — to visit
  16. band — a music group
  17. pop — music
  18. firm — a company
  19. key — for a lock
  20. firm — decided
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. firm — steady

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