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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: ball · key · swing · temple · dip · bank · band · deal

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. dip — to sink
  5. deal — to handle
  6. band — a ring
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. ball — a dance
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. band — a music group
  15. bank — for money
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bank — for money
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. temple — side of the head

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