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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. board — to get on
  3. face — part of the head
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. drill — army training
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. drill — a practice
  9. board — a committee
  10. drill — the tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. ball — a dance
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bass — the fish
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. face — to confront
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bass — low music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. face — to point toward
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ball — a great time

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