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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: key · pitcher · bark · bank · lean · pass · mug · bass

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bass — the fish
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bass — low music
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. key — in music
  9. bark — to shout
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bank — for money
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bank — for money
  24. mug — a cup

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