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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. present — a gift
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. present — there
  10. rock — music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. root — the cause
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bound — tied together
  18. present — the time now
  19. rock — a stone
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bound — obliged
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bound — certain
  24. root — of a word

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