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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. field — farmland
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ball — a great time
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. field — a subject
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — the amount
  11. ball — a dance
  12. board — a committee
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. field — for sport
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bore — to drill
  17. firm — a company
  18. press — newspapers
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — a safe
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bore — to tire
  23. press — to push
  24. content — happy

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