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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pop — music
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — to visit
  5. firm — a company
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. firm — steady
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wind — moving air
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. craft — boats
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. firm — decided
  18. pop — soda
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. craft — a skill
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wind — moving air

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