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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: staff · lie · bowl · wave · bank · hide · land · key

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — ground
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bank — for money
  9. land — to come down
  10. staff — employees
  11. key — for a lock
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — for money
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. staff — employees
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. land — a country
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. key — in music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wave — with your hand

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