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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. charge — in control
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. degree — an amount
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bound — obliged
  8. charge — a price
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. staff — a stick
  13. spell — a short time
  14. staff — employees
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bound — certain
  18. spell — magic
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. degree — from a university
  21. staff — employees
  22. lean — thin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. spell — letters

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