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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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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — wild animals
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bass — low music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mate — a friend
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. key — in music
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. key — for a lock
  18. foot — a measure

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