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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. key — for a lock
  3. firm — a company
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. firm — decided
  10. track — a path
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. key — in music
  13. firm — steady
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bank — of a river
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. row — a line
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a match
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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