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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. board — a committee
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chest — of your body
  6. tear — from crying
  7. object — to protest
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bound — certain
  11. scale — in music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — to rip
  15. board — to get on
  16. object — an aim
  17. chest — of your body
  18. object — a thing
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bound — obliged
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. chest — a box
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bore — to tire

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