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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. suit — to fit
  4. swing — to play on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. vault — a safe
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bass — low music
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. suit — clothes
  13. swing — music
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. game — wild animals
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bound — tied together
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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