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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lie — to recline
  3. ground — a position
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. board — to get on
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. vault — a safe
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. board — a committee
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ground — the earth
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. dip — a sauce

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