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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lie — to recline
  3. board — to get on
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. vault — a safe
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. net — after costs
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bank — for money
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — in sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. board — a committee
  24. net — for catching

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