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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 124 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. squash — the sport
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rush — hurry
  7. board — a committee
  8. vault — a safe
  9. charge — in control
  10. bank — for money
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. charge — electricity
  13. squash — to crush
  14. board — to get on
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. court — of a king
  17. bank — of a river
  18. scale — size or range
  19. court — for sport
  20. scale — in music
  21. charge — a price
  22. court — of law
  23. bank — for money
  24. scale — for weighing

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