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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. degree — temperature
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bound — certain
  6. charge — a price
  7. bear — the animal
  8. degree — an amount
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. charge — in control
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. degree — from a university

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