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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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. present — there
  9. pop — to visit
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. key — the most important part
  12. present — a gift
  13. vault — a safe
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. board — a committee
  20. present — the time now
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. key — in music
  24. ground — the earth

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