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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: key · bark · mouse · stand · pit · mate · bank · band

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mate — a partner
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. band — a ring
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. band — a music group
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. key — in music
  24. pit — a hole

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