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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. root — the cause
  9. bat — the animal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. root — of a word
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stock — shares
  20. board — a committee
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. stock — goods
  24. lie — an untruth

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