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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bound — tied together
  6. board — to get on
  7. kid — to tease
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. lie — to recline
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bound — obliged
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kid — child
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bound — certain
  19. vault — a safe
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cell — in biology
  24. deal — to handle

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