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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. board — a committee
  7. cell — in biology
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cell — a phone
  10. chest — a box
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. chest — of your body
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. board — to get on
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. chest — of your body

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