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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ball — a dance
  3. board — to get on
  4. rule — a law
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. board — a committee
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pit — a hole

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