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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: present · wake · bound · bore · vault · snap · temple · march

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. present — there
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bound — certain
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. snap — to click
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wake — a trail
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. present — a gift
  17. march — the month
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. present — the time now
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. bound — obliged

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