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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stem — to come from
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. board — a committee
  5. deal — to handle
  6. march — the month
  7. board — to get on
  8. bound — obliged
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pop — to visit
  12. vault — a safe
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bound — certain
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. march — music
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. march — the month
  21. pop — soda
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pop — music

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