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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 120 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: can · band · ball · bank · key · hand · chip · mouse

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. hand — help
  3. ball — a dance
  4. key — the most important part
  5. can — to be able to
  6. band — a ring
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bank — of a river
  9. can — a tin
  10. key — for a lock
  11. chip — for betting
  12. key — in music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — for money
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bank — for money
  24. mouse — for a computer

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