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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. present — the time now
  3. shower — rain
  4. object — a thing
  5. land — to come down
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. vault — a safe
  10. land — ground
  11. present — there
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. object — to protest
  15. land — a country
  16. bound — tied together
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bound — obliged
  20. present — a gift
  21. bound — certain
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. object — an aim
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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