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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. press — newspapers
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pop — to visit
  11. saw — the tool
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bound — obliged
  17. press — to push
  18. pop — music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — in music
  22. bound — tied together
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pop — soda

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