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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. present — the time now
  5. firm — steady
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a music group
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. present — there
  11. hand — help
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. vault — a safe
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bound — obliged
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. firm — decided
  19. deal — to handle
  20. present — a gift
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. firm — a company
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. hand — in cards

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