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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bank — for money
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — for a lock
  12. branch — a division
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. swing — to play on
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. swing — music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rush — a thrill

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