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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · saw · foot · key · fall · degree · mug · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. degree — an amount
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mug — a face
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. key — in music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. key — for a lock
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fall — the season
  12. bank — for money
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fall — to drop
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mug — to rob
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — the most important part
  21. degree — temperature
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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