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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. march — music
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. roll — a list
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. march — the month
  16. roll — a cake
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. land — ground
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. march — the month

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