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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. key — for a lock
  5. hand — help
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. scale — in music
  17. bank — for money
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wake — a trail
  20. key — in music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — a safe
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bank — of a river

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