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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 124 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 piece is in a major ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. staff — employees
  3. clip — for paper
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — shares
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. staff — employees
  12. bound — tied together
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. key — the most important part
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bound — certain
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — to cut
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bound — obliged
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stock — goods
  24. pass — to spend time

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