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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bank — of a river
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. net — for catching
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. snap — to click
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. net — in sport
  15. key — in music
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bank — for money
  22. key — the most important part
  23. dip — to sink
  24. net — after costs

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