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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. vault — a safe
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pitch — completely
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rock — music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — to get on
  21. suit — clothes
  22. board — a committee
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bulb — of a plant

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