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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. object — to protest
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. last — to go on
  8. squash — to crush
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cold — not warm
  11. snap — to click
  12. squash — the sport
  13. last — final
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bank — for money
  18. cold — an illness
  19. last — finally
  20. object — an aim
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. object — a thing

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