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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. key — for a lock
  4. clip — a video
  5. court — for sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. clip — to cut
  11. key — the most important part
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. court — of law
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. deal — to handle
  22. key — in music
  23. court — of a king
  24. pass — to succeed

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