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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. squash — to crush
  7. board — to get on
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bore — to drill
  10. board — a committee
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. staff — employees
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. squash — the sport
  20. vault — a safe
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pound — a weight

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