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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: plane · key · lie · patient · ball · mine · pass · bound

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bound — obliged
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — in music
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bound — tied together
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mine — for digging
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bound — certain
  24. key — the most important part

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