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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stock — goods
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cold — an illness
  7. bound — tied together
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. scale — size or range
  12. game — wild animals
  13. scale — in music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cold — not warm
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. game — a match
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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