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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. key — the most important part
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. saw — the tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. key — in music
  10. mark — a trace
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bank — for money
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mark — a grade
  17. snap — to click
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chair — a professorship

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