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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cell — a phone
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rock — a stone
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. vault — a safe
  9. track — a song
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cell — in biology
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. kick — in football
  15. stock — shares
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. track — a path
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bound — certain
  21. stock — goods
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. chair — a professorship
  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