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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: court · lean · date · fine · vault · root · lie · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lie — to recline
  3. court — of law
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lean — thin
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of a king
  11. root — of a word
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. root — the cause
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fine — all right
  17. lean — to bend
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. root — of a plant
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. board — to get on
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fine — a penalty

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