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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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bound — certain
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — high quality
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fine — all right
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bound — tied together
  24. vault — a safe

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