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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — boats
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — of a river
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. key — in music
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. craft — a skill
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — low music
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. leaves — lets stay

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