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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. key — in music
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stand — to bear
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bound — certain
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. plane — a tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. game — a match
  14. face — to point toward
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rush — hurry
  19. key — the most important part
  20. face — part of the head
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. face — to confront
  23. game — wild animals
  24. stand — on your feet

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