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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. track — a song
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cap — a lid
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. plane — a tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. track — a path
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. board — to get on
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. plane — in geometry

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