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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fork — in a road
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. vault — a safe
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bound — certain
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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