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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 116 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: calf · file · pop · craft · key · press · straw · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bank — of a river
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. file — a tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. file — a line of people
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. pop — soda
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. key — in music
  13. pop — music
  14. press — to push
  15. key — the most important part
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. press — a publisher
  20. file — a document
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. pop — to visit

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