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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. board — to get on
  3. key — the most important part
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. capital — money
  8. drill — army training
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bound — tied together
  12. lean — thin
  13. board — a committee
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bound — certain
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. drill — the tool
  18. capital — a city
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. key — in music
  22. game — wild animals
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. key — for a lock

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