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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. march — the month
  3. chip — to eat
  4. board — a committee
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. march — music
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wound — an injury
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wound — an injury
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. court — of a king
  16. rash — a series
  17. court — for sport
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. march — the month
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. court — of law

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