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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. key — for a lock
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. content — happy
  8. key — in music
  9. spring — of water
  10. bank — for money
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. craft — boats
  14. spring — the season
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. content — the amount
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spring — a coil
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bank — of a river
  21. craft — a skill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. key — the most important part

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