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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. board — to get on
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. ball — a great time
  5. degree — from a university
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. track — to keep track
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spring — a coil
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. degree — temperature
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. spring — of water
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stand — to bear
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. spring — the season
  22. ball — a dance
  23. board — a committee
  24. vault — a safe

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