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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a committee
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. board — to get on
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. vault — a safe
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. mouse — the animal

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