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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. land — a country
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pound — a weight
  12. fall — to drop
  13. vault — a safe
  14. land — ground
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. staff — employees
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. land — to come down
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. board — a flat piece

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