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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. last — to go on
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bank — for money
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bank — for money
  10. chip — to eat
  11. last — finally
  12. key — for a lock
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. key — in music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cue — a hint
  19. last — final
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. cue — a signal

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