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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: cell · object · board · mine · vault · fork · club · court

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. object — a thing
  6. club — for golf
  7. mine — for digging
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. board — a committee
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fork — in a road
  14. board — to get on
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. court — for sport
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. club — for dancing
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. club — a group
  24. cell — a phone

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