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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. board — a committee
  3. last — finally
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. present — the time now
  7. last — final
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. scale — in music
  11. last — to go on
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. board — to get on
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. vault — a safe
  16. scale — size or range
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. board — a flat piece

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