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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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. scale — in music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bank — of a river
  7. key — in music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. perch — the fish
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. swing — to play on
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. swing — music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. craft — boats
  24. bank — for money

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