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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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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: lash · chip · drill · fall · pass · fine · key · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pass — a permit
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. key — for a lock
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fine — high quality
  15. chip — for betting
  16. drill — army training
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fine — all right
  19. key — in music
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. drill — the tool
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fall — to drop
  24. drill — a practice

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