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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rash — a series
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wound — an injury
  8. toast — bread
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. face — to confront
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. face — to point toward
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bound — tied together
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bound — certain
  18. rash — on the skin

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