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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cue — a signal
  3. race — a contest
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. sharp — clever
  7. race — the arms race
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. chest — of your body
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. firm — steady
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. firm — decided
  15. chest — a box
  16. key — in music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chest — of your body
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bound — tied together
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — certain
  23. race — humankind
  24. firm — a company

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