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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. season — of the year
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bound — obliged
  11. field — a subject
  12. field — farmland
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ball — a dance
  16. field — for sport
  17. season — in sport
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bound — certain
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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