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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.

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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: key · arm · safe · coach · bound · spell · drill · fan

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. drill — a practice
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bound — tied together
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. drill — the tool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. spell — letters
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spell — magic
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. drill — army training
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bound — obliged

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