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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. vault — a safe
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. shower — rain
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cell — a phone
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. staff — a stick
  16. shower — to wash
  17. staff — employees
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. firm — steady
  23. staff — employees
  24. rest — what's left

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