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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 124 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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bound — certain
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. vault — a safe
  5. face — to point toward
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rush — hurry
  9. face — to confront
  10. bound — tied together
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. face — part of the head
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. toast — bread
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bound — obliged

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