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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bound — obliged
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bound — tied together
  9. ball — a great time
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mug — a face
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mug — a cup
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mug — to rob
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. press — to push
  23. bound — certain
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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