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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fine — high quality
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. key — in music
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — to grow
  13. current — happening now
  14. press — to push
  15. fine — all right
  16. bound — tied together
  17. current — electric
  18. key — the most important part
  19. press — a publisher
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bound — certain
  22. current — of water
  23. kick — in football
  24. press — newspapers

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