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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. hand — in cards
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lean — thin
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bound — certain
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. snap — to click
  20. bound — tied together
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bound — obliged

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