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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bound — tied together
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bound — certain
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. court — of law
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bound — obliged
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. plane — a tool
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. court — for sport
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. court — of a king
  24. temple — a place of worship

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