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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: bank · fan · face · club · foot · key · mine · kick

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. club — a group
  9. key — in music
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bank — for money
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. key — the most important part
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. face — to confront
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mine — for digging
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. face — part of the head
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kick — in football
  24. fan — to cool the air

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