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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.

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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: coach · key · content · drill · clip · safe · mouse · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. key — in music
  6. bound — certain
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. key — the most important part
  9. content — the amount
  10. clip — to cut
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. drill — army training
  19. key — for a lock
  20. clip — a video
  21. drill — a practice
  22. clip — for paper
  23. content — happy
  24. safe — out of danger

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