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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fall — the season
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fall — to drop

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