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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. mate — a partner
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. stock — goods
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. vault — a safe
  17. court — of a king
  18. ball — a dance
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. board — to get on
  21. court — of law
  22. stock — shares
  23. court — for sport
  24. ball — a great time

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