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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: row · straw · fine · track · key · plane · bank · can

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. can — a tin
  3. key — the most important part
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. track — a song
  7. plane — a tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. row — to paddle
  10. track — a path
  11. can — a tin
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bank — for money
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — of a river
  17. key — in music
  18. row — a line
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. key — for a lock
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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