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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 116 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: wound · vault · suit · spell · game · bound · mark · fine

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wound — an injury
  5. suit — to fit
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bound — certain
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mark — a grade
  11. spell — a short time
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. fine — high quality
  15. game — wild animals
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — in cards
  18. game — a match
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fine — all right
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mark — a trace

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