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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 · bound · fork · jam · chip · ruler · sharp · bank

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bank — of a river
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fork — in a road
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. chip — to eat
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bank — for money
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — in music
  21. bound — tied together
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ruler — a monarch

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