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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 120 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: press · spell · ball · bound · foot · key · content · bass

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. key — in music
  3. content — the amount
  4. bound — tied together
  5. spell — magic
  6. bound — certain
  7. spell — letters
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bound — obliged
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bass — low music
  16. press — newspapers
  17. key — the most important part
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bass — the fish
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. content — happy
  24. press — to push

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