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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. key — in music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. root — of a word
  6. ball — a dance
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stand — to bear
  9. root — the cause
  10. swing — to play on
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. root — of a plant
  15. board — to get on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pit — in a race
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. swing — music
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pit — a hole

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