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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. ground — the earth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bound — tied together
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. club — for golf
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. ground — crushed
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — a group
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — a safe
  19. board — a committee
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. ground — a position
  22. board — to get on
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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