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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. spell — letters
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rash — a series
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rash — hasty
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rock — a stone
  9. saw — the tool
  10. shower — rain
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. board — to get on
  14. saw — the tool
  15. board — a committee
  16. rock — music
  17. tube — the underground
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. tube — a container
  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