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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. capital — money
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. toast — bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lean — thin
  12. bound — certain
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. game — a match
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ball — a dance
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bound — tied together
  19. ball — a great time
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. capital — a city
  22. lean — to bend
  23. vault — a safe
  24. game — wild animals

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