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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: patient · track · key · mouse · content · charge · bank · hand

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. content — happy
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. track — a path
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. track — a song
  11. hand — help
  12. key — for a lock
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. charge — in control
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hand — in cards
  21. content — the amount
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. track — to keep track

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