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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — to get on
  8. saw — the tool
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. can — to be able to
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. can — a tin
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wind — moving air
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ball — a dance
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. board — a committee
  24. vault — a safe

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