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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: pit · key · tube · wind · can · board · bound · spell

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. can — a tin
  3. key — for a lock
  4. wind — moving air
  5. key — in music
  6. board — to get on
  7. pit — a hole
  8. spell — magic
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bound — obliged
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — tied together
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. spell — a short time
  20. key — the most important part
  21. spell — letters
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wind — moving air

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