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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mine — for digging
  5. cell — in biology
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pop — soda
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. pop — music
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — a match
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cell — a phone
  24. chip — to eat

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