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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · bass · bore · hand · bank · key

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. hand — help
  3. key — in music
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bore — to tire
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. capital — a city
  13. bank — for money
  14. bore — to drill
  15. capital — money
  16. bank — for money
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hand — part of the body

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