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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: tube · saw · squash · content · hide · degree · bound · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. key — in music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. saw — the tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bound — obliged
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bound — certain
  13. degree — an amount
  14. content — the amount
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. degree — temperature
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bound — tied together
  22. squash — to crush
  23. content — happy
  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