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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 116 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fall — to drop
  3. march — the month
  4. vault — a safe
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fall — the season
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. board — a committee
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rest — a break
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rest — what's left
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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