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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 116 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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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. key — in music
  3. rock — music
  4. bound — obliged
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bound — tied together
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. key — the most important part
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. track — a path
  12. deal — to handle
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rock — a stone
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bound — certain
  17. face — to confront
  18. deal — an agreement

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