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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pop — soda
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. game — wild animals
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. board — to get on
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ball — a dance
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. board — a committee
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pop — to visit
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pop — music
  23. pit — a hole
  24. row — to paddle

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