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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. key — in music
  3. march — the month
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. march — music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fall — to drop
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bound — obliged
  24. march — the month

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