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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: game · mine · suit · key · bank · chest · bore · bulb

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bore — to tire
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. key — in music
  9. bank — for money
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. suit — clothes
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. suit — to fit
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

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