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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. charge — a price
  3. toast — bread
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bound — obliged
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bear — the animal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. charge — in control
  11. swing — music
  12. stock — goods
  13. swing — to play on
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bound — tied together
  16. key — in music
  17. stock — shares
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bound — certain

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