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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 116 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mine — for digging
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. craft — boats
  8. root — of a plant
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. root — the cause
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bound — certain
  19. key — in music
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bound — obliged
  22. chip — to eat
  23. craft — a skill
  24. root — of a word

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