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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bound — certain
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fine — all right
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bound — obliged
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wax — to grow
  21. vault — a safe
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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