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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bound — certain
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rule — government
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — to tease
  20. rule — a law
  21. track — a path
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. track — a song

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