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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bound — tied together
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — happy
  11. cell — a phone
  12. key — in music
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. club — for golf
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. club — for dancing
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. club — a group
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. key — the most important part
  24. lean — thin

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