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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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bound — certain
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tube — the underground
  9. band — a music group
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bore — to drill
  12. snap — to click
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tube — a container
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. band — a ring
  24. wound — an injury

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