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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: board · snap · rock · mouse · prune · degree · object · vault

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. degree — an amount
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rock — music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. board — a committee
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — from a university
  17. snap — to click
  18. object — to protest
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rock — a stone
  21. vault — a safe
  22. object — a thing
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. object — an aim

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