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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.

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: key · suit · march · cell · kick · mug · bound · jam

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. march — music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. key — for a lock
  8. suit — to fit
  9. march — the month
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cell — in biology
  12. kick — in football
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. suit — in cards
  23. march — the month
  24. cell — a phone

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