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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mug — to rob
  6. foot — a measure
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mug — a face
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bound — certain
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bound — tied together
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. hand — help
  23. bound — obliged
  24. wave — of the sea

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