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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. vault — a safe
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. net — for catching
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. charge — in control
  16. net — in sport
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. net — after costs
  24. lash — an eyelash

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