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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fine — all right
  4. file — a document
  5. board — to get on
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. key — in music
  8. board — a committee
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bound — certain
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. file — a tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. file — a line of people
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. fine — high quality
  24. deal — an agreement

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