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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bound — certain
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rock — a stone
  12. press — to push
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rock — music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. key — in music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. press — a publisher
  22. ball — a great time
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bound — tied together

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