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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bank — for money
  4. present — the time now
  5. bank — of a river
  6. key — in music
  7. present — a gift
  8. land — to come down
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. bank — for money
  14. pop — soda
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. suit — in cards
  18. present — there
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — a series
  21. march — the month
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. land — a country

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