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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — an aim
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. race — humankind
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. race — a contest
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bound — obliged
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mark — a trace
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bore — to drill
  19. kid — to tease
  20. object — a thing
  21. bound — certain
  22. kid — child
  23. object — to protest
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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