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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. spell — magic
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. object — an aim
  7. mug — a cup
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. object — a thing
  15. stem — to come from
  16. board — a committee
  17. spell — a short time
  18. board — to get on
  19. object — to protest
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rush — hurry
  22. spell — letters
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — the sport

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