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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. track — to keep track
  3. vault — a safe
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bound — certain
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rash — a series
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. charge — in control
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rash — hasty
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fork — in a road
  16. drill — army training
  17. track — a song
  18. drill — the tool
  19. track — a path
  20. charge — a price
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. jam — in traffic
  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