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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. root — the cause
  6. chest — a box
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chest — of your body
  10. cell — in biology
  11. board — to get on
  12. root — of a plant
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. root — of a word
  15. board — a committee
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. chest — of your body
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cell — a phone
  24. hide — to keep secret

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