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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. board — a committee
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. ball — a dance
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fork — in a road
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. vault — a safe
  10. track — a path
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ball — a great time
  15. band — a ring
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wake — a trail
  21. track — a song
  22. board — to get on
  23. band — a music group
  24. nail — on a finger

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