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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — money
  7. key — in music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. capital — a city
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. key — the most important part
  14. club — for dancing
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. key — for a lock
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bound — tied together

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