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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. can — to be able to
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pop — music
  11. sharp — clever
  12. roll — a list
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rock — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. can — a tin
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. roll — a cake
  22. can — a tin
  23. rock — a stone
  24. roll — on a roll

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