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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 116 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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. squash — the sport
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. chip — for betting
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stand — to bear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bound — obliged
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bound — tied together
  19. squash — to crush
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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