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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. club — for dancing
  3. face — to point toward
  4. object — an aim
  5. face — part of the head
  6. club — a group
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. object — a thing
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. club — for golf
  13. degree — temperature
  14. face — to confront
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. degree — from a university
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bound — tied together
  20. degree — an amount
  21. object — to protest
  22. bound — certain
  23. trunk — of a car
  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