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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: drill · key · wave · pass · bound · lean · rash · staff

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. staff — employees
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rash — hasty
  7. staff — a stick
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. drill — army training
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bound — obliged
  20. lean — thin
  21. pass — a permit
  22. staff — employees
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — the tool

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