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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: mouse · race · key · calf · band · bank · hand · face

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. face — to point toward
  3. hand — in cards
  4. race — humankind
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. band — a ring
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. face — to confront
  16. hand — help
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. key — the most important part

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