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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: bound · date · tube · staff · leaves · vault · deal · bore

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. vault — a safe
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bore — to drill
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. date — the fruit
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. staff — employees
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. staff — a stick
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bound — obliged
  20. staff — employees
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. tube — a container
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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