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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. firm — a company
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bank — for money
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. key — the most important part
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rash — a series
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rash — hasty
  13. tube — a container
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. pit — a hole
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bank — of a river
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. key — in music
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. pit — in a race
  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