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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: bound · can · mate · snap · key · foot · bank · row

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bank — for money
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bank — for money
  6. mate — a friend
  7. snap — to click
  8. key — in music
  9. foot — a measure
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mate — a partner
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. row — a line
  14. row — to paddle
  15. key — the most important part
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — of a river
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bound — obliged

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