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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 · rush · wax · craft · bound · pound · key · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. craft — boats
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bank — for money
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bound — tied together
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bank — for money
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bound — certain
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rush — to hurry

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