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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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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: arm · mate · bank · toast · key · fall · bass · suit

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bank — for money
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fall — the season
  12. key — the most important part
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mate — a partner
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fall — to drop
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bass — the fish
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mate — a friend
  23. toast — bread
  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