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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. season — of the year
  3. bound — tied together
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bound — certain
  6. key — the most important part
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. drill — a practice
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. snap — to click
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bound — obliged
  13. drill — army training
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. key — in music
  17. wake — a trail
  18. season — in sport
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bass — low music
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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