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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cap — a lid
  3. stock — goods
  4. root — of a plant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cap — a hat
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. root — of a word
  13. stock — shares
  14. root — the cause
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. rock — a stone
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rock — music
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. board — to get on
  24. stock — a soup base

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