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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pop — soda
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bulb — for light
  17. date — the fruit
  18. pop — music
  19. bound — certain
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bass — low music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. chest — of your body

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