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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. lean — thin
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. board — to get on
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a document
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lean — to bend
  24. board — a committee

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