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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 120 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 · squash · nail · present · row · tube · bank · dip

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. squash — the sport
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bank — of a river
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. tube — the underground
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. row — a line
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — a container
  13. present — a gift
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. squash — to crush
  16. dip — to sink
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. key — in music
  23. dip — a sauce
  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