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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: bound · pass · hand · key · pit · band · craft · face

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pit — a hole
  3. band — a ring
  4. key — in music
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. key — the most important part
  7. band — a music group
  8. pit — in a race
  9. face — to point toward
  10. craft — boats
  11. bound — tied together
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bound — obliged
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bound — certain
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. face — to confront

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