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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · charge · jam · mine · deal · bank · scale · root

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bank — of a river
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. key — for a lock
  11. deal — to handle
  12. key — in music
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bank — for money
  15. scale — in music
  16. root — of a word
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mine — for digging
  19. root — the cause
  20. charge — electricity
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. root — of a plant
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bank — for money

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