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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: fork · bank · key · snap · pitcher · cap · rush · date

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. key — in music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. key — the most important part
  16. snap — to click
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. date — the fruit
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bank — for money
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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