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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. wound — an injury
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bound — obliged
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. squash — to crush
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bound — certain
  24. leaves — lets stay

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