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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
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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: mate · pop · can · arm · pass · bound · key · file

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bound — tied together
  4. file — a document
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. can — a tin
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. can — a tin
  10. mate — a friend
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pop — soda
  13. pass — a permit
  14. can — to be able to
  15. key — in music
  16. file — a tool
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mate — to breed
  20. pop — music
  21. bound — certain
  22. file — a line of people
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bound — obliged

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