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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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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: march · rash · roll · bay · vault · squash · chair · board

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. march — music
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. roll — a list
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. march — the month
  12. roll — a cake
  13. march — the month
  14. rash — a series
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. rash — hasty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. board — to get on
  24. squash — the sport

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