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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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bank — for money
  5. can — to be able to
  6. track — a path
  7. bank — for money
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. key — for a lock
  12. face — to point toward
  13. key — the most important part
  14. track — to keep track
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. deal — to handle
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — to bear
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. key — in music

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