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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: bound · file · racket · straw · squash · bore · key · fine

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bound — certain
  4. file — a line of people
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bound — tied together
  10. file — a tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. key — the most important part
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. file — a document
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bore — to tire
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. fine — all right
  21. key — for a lock
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. key — in music
  24. squash — to crush

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