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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cue — a signal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. board — a committee
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. board — to get on
  9. wind — moving air
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chest — of your body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chest — a box
  18. vault — a safe
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wind — moving air

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