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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chest — of your body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. key — for a lock
  6. chest — of your body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. key — in music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wax — to grow
  13. key — the most important part
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chest — a box
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pass — to spend time

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