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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. key — the most important part
  3. craft — boats
  4. rash — a series
  5. clip — for paper
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. key — in music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bank — for money
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. kick — in football
  13. clip — to cut
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. clip — a video
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. key — for a lock
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bank — of a river

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