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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. cap — a hat
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rule — a law
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. court — of law
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bound — certain
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rule — government
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. court — of a king
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cap — of ice
  21. court — for sport
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cap — a lid
  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