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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. file — a document
  4. bound — obliged
  5. file — a tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. degree — temperature
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bulb — for light
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cue — for pool
  15. chip — for betting
  16. file — a line of people
  17. vault — a safe
  18. track — a song
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. track — a path
  21. degree — from a university
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bulb — for light
  24. track — to keep track

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