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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · bound · key · pass · spring · staff · face · rock

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. key — in music
  5. staff — employees
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pass — a permit
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. key — for a lock
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bound — obliged
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bound — certain
  19. staff — employees
  20. rock — music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. spring — a coil
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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