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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stock — goods
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. board — a committee
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. file — a document
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. toast — bread
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stock — shares
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. board — to get on

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