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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. track — a path
  5. charge — a price
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — help
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. charge — in control
  11. present — a gift
  12. track — a song
  13. charge — electricity
  14. present — the time now
  15. tear — from crying
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. tear — to rip
  19. track — to keep track
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bound — certain
  22. spell — a short time
  23. vault — a safe
  24. present — there

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