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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. vault — a safe
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bound — certain
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. swing — in golf
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bound — obliged
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. swing — music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. saw — the tool
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. swing — to play on
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fine — all right
  24. saw — the tool

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