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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. track — a song
  3. suit — clothes
  4. vault — a safe
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. suit — in cards
  7. board — to get on
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kid — to tease
  10. mark — a grade
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mark — a trace
  20. kid — child
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. track — a path
  23. rock — music
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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