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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. spell — letters
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. board — a committee
  6. spell — magic
  7. fork — in a road
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rock — a stone
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rock — music
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. vault — a safe
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. board — a flat piece

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