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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. capital — a city
  6. bound — certain
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. land — to come down
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spring — of water
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. vault — a safe
  18. suit — in cards
  19. capital — money
  20. suit — to fit
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — the season
  23. land — ground
  24. land — a country

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