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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bound — obliged
  7. board — to get on
  8. bank — for money
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bulb — for light
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. board — a committee
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bound — tied together
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bound — certain
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bank — for money
  24. mate — a friend

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