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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. board — a committee
  5. date — the fruit
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. roll — a cake
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. roll — a list
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stand — to bear
  18. craft — boats
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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