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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bank — for money
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bank — of a river
  6. key — the most important part
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bass — low music
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. swing — in golf
  12. fine — high quality
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. swing — music
  15. key — in music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bank — for money
  19. key — for a lock
  20. hand — help
  21. fine — all right
  22. hand — in cards
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bass — the fish

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