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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. board — to get on
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. track — a path
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stock — goods
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pop — to visit
  14. track — a song
  15. stock — shares
  16. pop — music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rush — hurry
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pop — soda
  23. board — a committee
  24. wound — an injury

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