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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. key — in music
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. foot — a measure
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. vault — a safe
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. board — a committee
  15. bark — to shout
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. sharp — clever
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. foot — part of the 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