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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rock — music
  4. degree — from a university
  5. rock — a stone
  6. club — for dancing
  7. court — of a king
  8. degree — temperature
  9. court — for sport
  10. bound — certain
  11. mark — a grade
  12. club — for golf
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bound — tied together
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. court — of law
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. key — in music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. key — for a lock
  22. degree — an amount
  23. club — a group
  24. key — the most important part

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