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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pound — a weight
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bound — certain
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. charge — a price
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. charge — electricity
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bass — low music
  13. charge — in control
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — army training
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bound — tied together

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