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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: toast · hide · stick · bound · sharp · pass · safe · key

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bound — certain
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. key — for a lock
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pass — a permit
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bound — obliged
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bound — tied together
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. key — in music

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