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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. march — the month
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bound — tied together
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wax — to grow
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. band — a ring
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. march — music
  20. band — a music group
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. march — the month

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