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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. chest — a box
  4. bound — tied together
  5. board — to get on
  6. bound — obliged
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. kick — in football
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bound — certain
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chest — of your body
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. board — a committee
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. nail — for a hammer

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