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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: nail · key · stand · season · saw · pit · bank · row

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bank — of a river
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bank — for money
  5. key — in music
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pit — a hole
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pit — in a race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. key — the most important part
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. row — to paddle
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. row — a line
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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