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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. net — for catching
  3. bound — certain
  4. vault — a safe
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bound — obliged
  7. roll — a list
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wake — a trail
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. net — in sport
  14. bound — tied together
  15. net — after costs
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. roll — a cake
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. track — a path
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. leaves — lets stay

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