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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: deal · bound · fine · key · kid · foot · dip · scale

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. dip — to sink
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. kid — child
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. key — in music
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. scale — size or range
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bound — certain
  16. fine — all right
  17. deal — to handle
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. scale — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bound — tied together

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