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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bound — obliged
  3. cell — in biology
  4. key — in music
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. last — to go on
  10. bound — certain
  11. last — finally
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. board — a committee
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. board — to get on
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bass — low music
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. last — final

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