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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: bank · date · bay · track · chest · mate · key · rash

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rash — a series
  5. bank — of a river
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mate — to breed
  10. track — a path
  11. rash — hasty
  12. key — for a lock
  13. chest — of your body
  14. track — to keep track
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bank — for money
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bank — for money
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. key — in music
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. track — a song

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