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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. dip — to sink
  5. present — there
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pass — a permit
  9. present — the time now
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. board — a committee
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. game — a match
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. present — a gift
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — to get on
  24. fan — to cool the air

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