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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. vault — a safe
  3. game — a match
  4. can — a tin
  5. foot — a measure
  6. march — music
  7. bound — certain
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. march — the month
  13. chair — a leader
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. fine — high quality
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bound — obliged
  20. march — the month
  21. bound — tied together
  22. fine — all right
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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