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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. charge — a price
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. kick — in football
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bound — certain
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. charge — electricity
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. squash — the sport
  24. charge — in control

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