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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stock — shares
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cue — for pool
  12. vault — a safe
  13. board — to get on
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. stock — goods
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. board — a committee
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rest — a break
  20. roll — a list
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cue — a signal
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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