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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: saw · mug · fan · bank · key · kid · press · track

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. track — a song
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — child
  11. track — a path
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mug — a face
  16. bank — for money
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bank — of a river
  20. saw — the tool
  21. track — to keep track
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. kid — to tease

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