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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 · firm · dip · suit · bound · clip · key · mark

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. key — for a lock
  3. firm — decided
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bound — obliged
  6. firm — steady
  7. key — the most important part
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. key — in music
  12. clip — a video
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. firm — a company
  15. suit — in cards
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bound — certain
  20. mark — a grade
  21. dip — to sink
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. suit — clothes

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