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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. key — in music
  3. present — there
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lean — thin
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. present — the time now
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. foot — a measure
  17. swing — music
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bore — to tire
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. key — for a lock
  24. present — a gift

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