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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. key — the most important part
  5. last — final
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — for money
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — boats
  15. key — for a lock
  16. last — finally
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pound — a weight
  20. last — to go on
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. craft — a skill
  24. key — in music

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