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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: vault · bound · cell · fine · can · pass · last · bulb

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — finally
  4. cell — in biology
  5. last — final
  6. fine — all right
  7. bound — certain
  8. last — to go on
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — a tin
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cell — a phone
  24. pass — to spend time

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