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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: scale · bay · deal · prune · bore · bank · stand · key

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. key — the most important part
  7. scale — size or range
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. key — for a lock
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bank — for money
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bank — for money
  20. stand — to bear
  21. key — in music
  22. scale — in music
  23. deal — to handle
  24. scale — for weighing

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