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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. swing — to play on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. charge — in control
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. board — a committee
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bound — tied together
  12. present — the time now
  13. charge — electricity
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. pitch — completely
  19. board — to get on
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. swing — music
  23. charge — a price
  24. chair — a leader

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