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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. bound — obliged
  4. vault — a safe
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. object — to protest
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. shower — rain
  13. tear — from crying
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. shower — to wash
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bound — tied together
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bound — certain

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