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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: season · hand · key · rest · rock · can · spring · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. key — in music
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. spring — of water
  7. bank — for money
  8. rest — a break
  9. rock — a stone
  10. can — to be able to
  11. season — in sport
  12. key — the most important part
  13. spring — the season
  14. bank — of a river
  15. hand — help
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. rock — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rest — what's left
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. spring — a coil

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