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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rush — hurry
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. charge — in control
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rash — a series
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. rush — to hurry

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