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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: court · nail · object · key · bank · foot · wake · pop

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wake — a trail
  3. object — a thing
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. key — in music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. object — to protest
  10. key — the most important part
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bank — for money
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. object — an aim
  18. court — of law
  19. bank — of a river
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bank — for money
  24. foot — a measure

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