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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lean — to bend
  3. club — for golf
  4. board — a committee
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. club — a group
  11. fall — the season
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. club — for dancing
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lean — thin
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bore — to drill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bore — to tire

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