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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. firm — decided
  5. bank — for money
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bound — tied together
  8. firm — a company
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. drill — the tool
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. drill — army training
  16. bound — obliged
  17. drill — a practice
  18. firm — steady
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bound — certain

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