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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. content — the amount
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. charge — in control
  5. bank — for money
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bound — obliged
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bank — for money
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. stock — goods
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. face — to confront
  15. bound — tied together
  16. face — to point toward
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. content — happy
  19. charge — electricity
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — a price
  22. stock — shares
  23. bank — of a river
  24. trunk — of a car

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