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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 116 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: bore · squash · leaves · key · bay · bank · wind · fine

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bank — of a river
  3. key — in music
  4. fine — all right
  5. bore — to tire
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bank — for money
  10. wind — moving air
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. key — for a lock
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bore — to drill
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bank — for money
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. fine — high quality

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