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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bound — certain
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — a break
  9. band — a ring
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — to be able to
  17. vault — a safe
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. band — a music group
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. can — a tin

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