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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. vault — a safe
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ground — a position
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ground — the earth
  12. content — happy
  13. bound — obliged
  14. tube — a container
  15. suit — clothes
  16. march — music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pound — a weight
  19. content — the amount
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bound — certain
  22. march — the month
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bound — tied together

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