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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bound — certain
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bound — tied together
  6. spell — letters
  7. dip — to sink
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. spell — magic
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rule — government
  17. vault — a safe
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. plane — a tool
  20. date — the fruit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rule — a law

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