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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: vault · swing · wave · cell · safe · lie · stock · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cell — in biology
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bound — tied together
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stock — goods
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bound — obliged
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cell — a phone
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. stock — shares
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

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