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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: bank · suit · present · ball · net · last · key · foot

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. present — there
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ball — a dance
  5. present — the time now
  6. last — to go on
  7. key — for a lock
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. net — after costs
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. key — the most important part
  12. last — final
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — a gift
  17. suit — clothes
  18. foot — a measure
  19. key — in music
  20. last — finally
  21. bank — for money
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. ball — a great time
  24. suit — to fit

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