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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. chair — a leader
  7. branch — a division
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. ball — a great time
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. board — to get on
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — help
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ball — a dance

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