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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 116 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — in music
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pass — a permit
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. net — for catching
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. net — in sport
  13. drill — a practice
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rule — a law
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. drill — army training
  21. net — after costs
  22. rule — government
  23. bound — certain
  24. pass — to spend time

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