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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: staff · key · lash · bound · mine · jam · cabinet · saw

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. staff — a stick
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. key — for a lock
  6. staff — employees
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. staff — employees
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bound — tied together
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. saw — the tool
  20. key — the most important part
  21. saw — the tool
  22. key — in music
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. cabinet — ministers

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