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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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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: vault · racket · lie · kid · content · game · pass · bound

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bound — obliged
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. game — wild animals
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bound — tied together
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — child
  13. game — a match
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bound — certain
  16. content — the amount
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. content — happy
  19. pass — a permit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lie — to recline
  24. content — videos and posts

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