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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. board — a committee
  3. club — for dancing
  4. track — to keep track
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. track — a song
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. scale — in music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. club — for golf
  14. scale — size or range
  15. club — a group
  16. current — happening now
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. track — a path
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. current — of water
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. current — electric

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