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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mate — to breed
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bank — of a river
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. key — for a lock
  16. squash — the sport
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bank — for money
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fine — all right

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