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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. perch — the fish
  4. club — for dancing
  5. row — to paddle
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. club — for golf
  8. tube — a container
  9. cue — a hint
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cue — a signal
  14. key — in music
  15. vault — a safe
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bound — certain
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tube — the underground
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. club — a group
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. key — the most important part
  24. row — a line

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