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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: squash · vault · bound · foot · coach · current · hand · saw

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bound — obliged
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. current — of water
  8. saw — the tool
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. squash — to crush
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. squash — the sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. hand — help
  16. current — electric
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bound — certain
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bound — tied together
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. hand — in cards

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