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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fall — to drop
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bound — certain
  10. bank — for money
  11. key — the most important part
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. key — in music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fall — the season
  16. scale — in music
  17. bank — for money
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. scale — size or range
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fall — to drop
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. chip — to eat

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