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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. board — a committee
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. can — a tin
  6. object — a thing
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. saw — the tool
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. can — a tin
  11. vault — a safe
  12. prune — to trim
  13. object — an aim
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lean — thin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. shower — to wash
  19. board — to get on
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. can — to be able to
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. object — to protest
  24. shower — rain

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