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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. content — the amount
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bank — of a river
  5. key — for a lock
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. branch — a division
  15. bank — for money
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bank — for money
  20. content — happy
  21. shower — rain
  22. key — in music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. shower — to wash

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