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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: sharp · rock · key · court · field · tube · can · bank

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. can — to be able to
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. key — the most important part
  7. field — a subject
  8. tube — a container
  9. rock — a stone
  10. court — of law
  11. field — for sport
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. key — for a lock
  17. field — farmland
  18. court — for sport
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rock — music
  21. court — of a king
  22. key — in music
  23. bank — for money
  24. tube — in a tire

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