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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cell — in biology
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bass — low music
  6. can — a tin
  7. bass — the fish
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. board — a committee
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. can — a tin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. can — to be able to
  24. board — to get on

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