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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · cell · chest · bear · board · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. 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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. chest — a box
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cell — in biology
  9. board — to get on
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chest — of your body
  12. board — a committee
  13. cell — a phone
  14. vault — a safe
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mark — a trace
  17. chest — of your body
  18. 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