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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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 — certain
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. content — happy
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bound — obliged
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — the amount
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. key — in music
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. key — the most important part
  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