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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. last — finally
  3. board — to get on
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. board — a committee
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. vault — a safe
  15. last — to go on
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. last — final

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