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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. row — to paddle
  5. season — of the year
  6. vault — a safe
  7. board — to get on
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. stand — to bear
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. tear — from crying
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. row — a line
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. board — a committee
  21. tear — from crying
  22. chest — of your body
  23. season — in sport
  24. tear — to rip

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