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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · hand · fine · chest · stem · vault · bound · ruler

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. hand — help
  3. fine — high quality
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. chest — a box
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bound — tied together
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bound — certain
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chest — of your body
  19. toast — bread
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hand — in cards
  22. fine — all right
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. hand — part of the body

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