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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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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. board — to get on
  3. vault — a safe
  4. club — a group
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bore — to drill
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. club — for golf
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. board — a committee
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bore — to tire

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