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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. club — for golf
  3. bound — tied together
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. content — the amount
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. content — happy
  11. club — a group
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bound — certain
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mouse — for a computer

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