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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 116 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: ball · straw · stick · key · hand · mark · bound · dip

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bound — obliged
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. key — in music
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bound — certain
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. key — the most important part
  22. ball — a dance
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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