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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. vault — a safe
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. race — a contest
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — a gift
  10. track — to keep track
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. race — the arms race
  14. present — the time now
  15. race — humankind
  16. charge — in control
  17. track — a path
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. present — there
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. track — a song

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