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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: net · pound · bank · board · firm · fan · jam · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. firm — steady
  6. key — for a lock
  7. net — for catching
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. firm — decided
  10. board — a committee
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bank — for money
  17. key — the most important part
  18. firm — a company
  19. pound — a weight
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bank — for money
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pound — to hit hard

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