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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cell — in biology
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bound — tied together
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. cell — a phone
  8. band — a ring
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. swing — to play on
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. vault — a safe
  14. band — a music group
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bound — obliged
  17. swing — in golf
  18. wound — an injury
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bound — certain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. toast — bread

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