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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — a song
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cue — a hint
  17. board — a committee
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. cue — for pool
  21. board — to get on
  22. rock — music
  23. track — a path
  24. cue — a signal

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