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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. craft — boats
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. court — for sport
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. chair — a leader
  9. craft — a skill
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rule — government
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — a law
  14. court — of law
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. court — of a king
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. deal — to handle

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