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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. cold — the Cold War
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cold — an illness
  4. present — the time now
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. present — there
  8. band — a music group
  9. cold — not warm
  10. rash — hasty
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. charge — a price
  13. root — the cause
  14. board — to get on
  15. charge — electricity
  16. board — a committee
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. charge — in control
  19. rash — a series
  20. band — a ring
  21. present — a gift
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. root — of a word
  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