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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. row — a line
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bank — for money
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. chest — of your body
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bank — of a river
  11. club — a group
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bank — for money
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bark — to shout
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bass — low music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. club — for golf
  24. bark — of a tree

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