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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. land — ground
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. land — to come down
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fine — all right
  7. land — a country
  8. key — in music
  9. bank — for money
  10. fine — high quality
  11. key — the most important part
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. suit — to fit
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. key — for a lock
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. date — on the calendar

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