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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rest — what's left
  4. key — in music
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. object — a thing
  9. bank — for money
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bank — for money
  12. file — a document
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. craft — a skill
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. date — the fruit
  19. craft — boats
  20. key — the most important part
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. key — for a lock

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