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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
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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: rule · staff · pit · bound · lie · key · saw · band

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. band — a ring
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bound — tied together
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. rule — a law
  12. staff — a stick
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. staff — employees
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. key — for a lock
  18. band — a music group
  19. key — the most important part
  20. staff — employees
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. key — in music
  24. saw — 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