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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 120 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: club · present · sharp · land · temple · key · bank · ruler

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. land — ground
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — a gift
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. land — to come down
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. land — a country
  16. present — the time now
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. club — for dancing
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. present — there
  24. bank — for money

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