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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 going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rush — hurry
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bound — tied together
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bound — certain
  7. bank — for money
  8. scale — in music
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. key — in music
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bound — obliged
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bank — of a river
  21. key — for a lock
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mate — to breed

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