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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. board — a committee
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bound — obliged
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bound — certain
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. board — to get on
  20. wound — an injury
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — a trail
  24. patient — a sick person

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