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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
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: key · bound · cabinet · bear · mine · club · jam · chair

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bound — obliged
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — the most important part
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bear — the animal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. club — for dancing
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. key — in music
  19. mine — for digging
  20. club — for golf
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. club — a group
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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