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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. vault — a safe
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. chest — a box
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rash — hasty
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. rash — a series
  12. mark — a grade
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. charge — electricity
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fine — all right
  23. chest — of your body
  24. fine — a penalty

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