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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. net — for catching
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bound — obliged
  6. wind — moving air
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. net — in sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. fine — all right
  12. net — after costs
  13. can — to be able to
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bound — certain
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bound — tied together
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. chair — a leader
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. can — a tin
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. can — a tin
  24. fine — high quality

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