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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He's taking a ________________ 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. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rest — what's left
  5. vault — a safe
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rest — a break
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. board — to get on
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. shower — rain
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. lie — to recline
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — a phone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. shower — to wash

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