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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. board — a committee
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. board — to get on
  7. charge — in control
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mine — for digging
  13. ball — a dance
  14. kick — in football
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rule — government
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — a price
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rule — a law
  24. charge — electricity

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