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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. bound — obliged
  2. key — for a lock
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. club — a group
  6. stand — to bear
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bound — tied together
  9. kick — in football
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. club — for dancing
  13. press — to push
  14. bound — certain
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. club — for golf
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pitch — completely
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. kick — with a leg
  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