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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. tube — a container
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. race — a contest
  7. firm — decided
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. firm — a company
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bound — certain
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. tube — the underground
  14. vault — a safe
  15. current — of water
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. firm — steady
  19. current — happening now
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. race — humankind
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. current — electric

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