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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. club — for dancing
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — obliged
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. club — a group
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bound — tied together
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. deal — to handle
  17. club — for golf
  18. cell — in biology
  19. cell — a phone
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mark — a grade
  22. chair — a leader
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. cell — in a prison

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