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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. present — a gift
  4. ball — a great time
  5. key — the most important part
  6. staff — employees
  7. key — in music
  8. march — music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. staff — a stick
  13. present — there
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. march — the month
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — hurry
  20. march — the month
  21. staff — employees
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. present — the time now
  24. rush — a thrill

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