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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bound — obliged
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. swing — music
  5. bound — tied together
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. swing — to play on
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. dip — to sink
  12. key — for a lock
  13. swing — in golf
  14. staff — a stick
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. staff — employees
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. key — in music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. staff — employees
  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