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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. board — a committee
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. swing — music
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. swing — to play on
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. board — to get on
  13. toast — bread
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. swing — in golf
  22. kick — in football
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. ball — a dance

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