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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stock — shares
  4. track — a song
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bound — tied together
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bound — certain
  11. vault — a safe
  12. track — a path
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. stock — goods
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. press — a publisher
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stock — a soup base

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