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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bound — obliged
  10. file — a document
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bound — certain
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wind — moving air
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bound — tied together
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mug — a face

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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