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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mark — a trace
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — child
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bound — certain
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. key — in 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