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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fine — all right
  3. perch — the fish
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — for money
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fine — high quality
  11. key — in music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. bank — of a river
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. prune — to trim
  24. kick — with a leg

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