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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bound — obliged
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rash — a series
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cue — a hint
  14. vault — a safe
  15. foot — a measure
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cue — for pool
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rash — hasty
  20. swing — music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bound — certain

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