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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bound · jam · bank · band · key · chip · trunk · straw

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. key — for a lock
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bound — obliged
  8. band — a ring
  9. bank — for money
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bound — certain
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. key — the most important part
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bank — of a river
  17. band — a music group
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. chip — to eat
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bank — for money
  23. key — in music
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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