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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mug — a face
  4. board — a committee
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. shower — rain
  7. vault — a safe
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rash — a series
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rush — hurry
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mug — to rob
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. shower — to wash
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. board — to get on
  21. mug — a cup
  22. game — a match
  23. row — a line
  24. rash — hasty

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