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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. key — in music
  3. march — the month
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bass — the fish
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. staff — employees
  11. bound — certain
  12. march — music
  13. bound — obliged
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. key — the most important part
  17. staff — employees
  18. bass — low music

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