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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. pop — music
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — to cut
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — to visit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. board — to get on
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. board — a committee
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. clip — a video
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pop — soda
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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