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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stock — shares
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. present — a gift
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pound — a weight
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. present — the time now
  13. bound — certain
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stock — goods
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. present — there

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