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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. object — an aim
  4. track — a path
  5. stock — shares
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. band — a ring
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. track — a song
  11. vault — a safe
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. track — to keep track
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. band — a music group
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stock — goods
  20. object — a thing
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. object — to protest
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. lean — thin

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