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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to confront
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — a gift
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rule — a law
  9. board — to get on
  10. face — to point toward
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. object — a thing
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. present — the time now
  17. object — an aim
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rule — government
  20. ball — a great time
  21. present — there
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. object — to protest
  24. saw — the tool

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