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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. present — the time now
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. key — in music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rock — music
  12. present — a gift
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. present — there
  15. ground — a position
  16. bound — certain
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — a stone
  20. key — for a lock
  21. branch — a division
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ruler — for measuring

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