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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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. board — a committee
  6. chest — a box
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. capital — money
  14. vault — a safe
  15. capital — a city
  16. pit — a hole
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. board — to get on

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