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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. snap — to click
  4. fine — all right
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. key — in music
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bound — certain
  13. branch — a division
  14. key — for a lock
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bat — the animal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. branch — of a bank

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