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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bound — obliged
  7. spell — a short time
  8. file — a document
  9. bound — tied together
  10. suit — to fit
  11. file — a tool
  12. game — wild animals
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. spell — magic
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — in cards
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. branch — a division
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. game — a match
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bound — certain
  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