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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. deal — to handle
  3. vault — a safe
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. board — to get on
  8. tube — a container
  9. board — a committee
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bound — tied together
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bound — certain
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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