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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 116 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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — in sport
  6. suit — clothes
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. suit — to fit
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. field — a subject
  15. bound — certain
  16. season — of the year
  17. bound — tied together
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bound — obliged
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. field — for sport
  23. suit — in cards
  24. field — farmland

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