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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 120 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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. march — the month
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bound — certain
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. track — a song
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pitch — completely
  12. race — a contest
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bound — obliged
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. march — music
  18. track — a path
  19. race — humankind
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. march — the month

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