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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. track — a path
  3. craft — boats
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mate — a friend
  6. track — to keep track
  7. key — the most important part
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mate — to breed
  11. track — a song
  12. craft — a skill
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. cap — of ice
  16. key — in music
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. land — a country
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — certain

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