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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. land — a country
  5. board — to get on
  6. key — the most important part
  7. track — to keep track
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bank — for money
  11. key — in music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. land — ground
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — a song
  17. date — the fruit
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. land — to come down
  21. track — a path
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — a committee
  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