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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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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. can — a tin
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. hand — help
  12. rash — a series
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bound — certain
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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