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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — to fit
  6. squash — to crush
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. squash — the sport
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bound — certain
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. lean — to bend
  14. march — the month
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bound — tied together
  18. lean — thin
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. march — music
  24. bound — obliged

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