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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. march — the month
  3. key — in music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. march — music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pit — in a race
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bass — low music
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. march — the month
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. plane — a tool

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