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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. key — the most important part
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. key — in music
  10. fine — all right
  11. key — for a lock
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. file — a document
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bound — certain
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. sharp — clever
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a tool

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