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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · file · press · club · wave · key · fan · mate

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. file — a line of people
  4. club — for dancing
  5. file — a document
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. club — for golf
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mate — a friend
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. press — newspapers
  18. file — a tool
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mate — a partner
  21. club — a group
  22. press — to push
  23. mate — to breed
  24. key — in music

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