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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.

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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: bore · key · pit · scale · spell · bank · cold · pass

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. key — in music
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. cold — an illness
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. spell — magic
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bank — for money
  13. scale — in music
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bore — to drill
  18. key — the most important part
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pass — a permit
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pass — to succeed

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