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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: track · bass · row · roll · club · fan · fork · key

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. key — for a lock
  5. track — a path
  6. club — a group
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. club — for golf
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. key — the most important part
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. track — a song
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bass — low music
  19. roll — a cake
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. roll — a list
  23. bass — the fish
  24. key — in music

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