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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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ground — crushed
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. net — for catching
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rash — a series
  13. hand — help
  14. board — a committee
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ground — the earth
  18. hand — in cards
  19. ground — a position
  20. net — after costs
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. net — in sport
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rash — hasty

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