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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bound — certain
  3. march — the month
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. lean — thin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bound — tied together
  11. march — music
  12. lean — to bend
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pitch — completely
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. key — for a lock
  19. march — the month
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bound — obliged
  24. key — in music

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