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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ball — a great time
  3. key — the most important part
  4. capital — money
  5. squash — the sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — all right
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. capital — a city
  10. ball — a dance
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. key — for a lock
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fine — high quality
  19. squash — to crush
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. key — in music
  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