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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. last — finally
  3. firm — steady
  4. cue — a signal
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. firm — a company
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bound — tied together
  10. object — a thing
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bound — obliged
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. cue — for pool
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. vault — a safe
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. firm — decided
  22. object — to protest
  23. cue — a hint
  24. object — an aim

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