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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — to get on
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mug — a cup
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rash — hasty
  15. vault — a safe
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mug — a face
  21. band — a ring
  22. ball — a dance
  23. chair — a leader
  24. rash — a series

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