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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. board — a committee
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. fine — high quality
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. board — to get on
  16. mark — a grade
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. last — final
  19. content — happy
  20. mark — a trace
  21. content — the amount
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fine — all right
  24. vault — a safe

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