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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — in cards
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. staff — a stick
  6. suit — clothes
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ground — crushed
  10. staff — employees
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ground — a position
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. staff — employees
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ground — the earth
  23. board — a committee
  24. scale — in music

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