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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: swing · plane · vault · track · object · bound · tear · last

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. tear — to rip
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. object — to protest
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bound — certain
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bound — tied together
  12. plane — a tool
  13. track — a song
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. object — an aim
  17. track — to keep track
  18. vault — a safe
  19. object — a thing
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. track — a path
  22. swing — music
  23. tear — from crying
  24. last — to go on

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