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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. board — to get on
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — a safe
  6. present — the time now
  7. ground — crushed
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. board — a committee
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mine — for digging
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. ground — the earth
  22. fall — the season
  23. ground — a position
  24. fall — to drop

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