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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. key — the most important part
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bank — of a river
  5. capital — money
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. wake — a trail
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. capital — a city
  14. bank — for money
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bank — for money
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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