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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
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: file · bank · object · snap · branch · key · date · tube

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bank — for money
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. tube — a container
  10. file — a document
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bank — of a river
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. branch — a division
  17. snap — to click
  18. object — an aim
  19. file — a line of people
  20. object — to protest
  21. key — the most important part
  22. object — a thing
  23. key — in music
  24. file — a tool

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