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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. fine — all right
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. club — a group
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. sharp — clever
  8. club — for golf
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pass — a permit
  17. club — for dancing
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. snap — to click
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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