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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · bore · ground · bank · mouse · march · chair · key

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bore — to drill
  5. tube — a container
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. march — the month
  11. ground — the earth
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — the underground
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. march — the month
  19. bank — of a river
  20. key — in music
  21. bank — for money
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ground — a position
  24. key — for a lock

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