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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bound — certain
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — in biology
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cell — a phone
  10. mug — a face
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mug — to rob
  13. kick — in football
  14. bound — obliged
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bound — tied together
  18. present — a gift
  19. race — the arms race
  20. present — there
  21. race — humankind
  22. present — the time now
  23. race — a contest
  24. pit — a hole

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