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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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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 · firm · bay · kick · chest · game · foot · vault

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bound — certain
  10. chest — of your body
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. game — wild animals
  18. vault — a safe
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. chest — a box
  24. firm — steady

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