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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bound — obliged
  5. key — in music
  6. can — a tin
  7. pass — a permit
  8. key — for a lock
  9. can — to be able to
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. key — the most important part
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. drill — army training
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. rash — hasty
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rash — a series
  24. hand — help

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