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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 124 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. board — a committee
  4. firm — steady
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ball — a dance
  8. press — a publisher
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. press — to push
  14. spring — of water
  15. firm — a company
  16. scale — size or range
  17. press — newspapers
  18. firm — decided
  19. vault — a safe
  20. ball — a great time
  21. board — to get on
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. scale — in music

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