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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. degree — temperature
  3. court — for sport
  4. degree — an amount
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. charge — in control
  9. degree — from a university
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. charge — a price
  12. march — the month
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. vault — a safe
  16. march — the month
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. pop — soda
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bound — tied together
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pop — music
  24. bound — certain

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