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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 116 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chair — a leader
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bound — obliged
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. game — wild animals
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. track — to keep track
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. vault — a safe
  15. track — a song
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bound — certain
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. game — a match
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bound — tied together
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. trunk — of a tree

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