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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bank — of a river
  5. key — the most important part
  6. swing — to play on
  7. dip — to sink
  8. march — the month
  9. bank — for money
  10. swing — music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. key — in music
  15. march — music
  16. scale — in music
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. swing — in golf
  19. key — for a lock
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bank — for money

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