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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. vault — a safe
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wax — to grow
  24. sharp — exactly

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