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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a committee
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fork — in a road
  8. staff — employees
  9. face — to confront
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. vault — a safe
  16. staff — a stick
  17. face — to point toward
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. face — part of the head
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — to get on
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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