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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. key — the most important part
  7. can — to be able to
  8. cell — in biology
  9. key — in music
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. last — finally
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. key — for a lock
  14. cell — a phone
  15. last — final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — tied together
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. last — to go on
  21. can — a tin
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fine — all right
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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