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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: snap · cell · vault · fine · bound · rash · mark · fan

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rash — hasty
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bound — certain
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fine — all right
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — in a prison

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