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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: tear · ball · vault · object · bay · squash · board · game

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ball — a great time
  3. vault — a safe
  4. game — a match
  5. tear — to rip
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ball — a dance
  12. object — to protest
  13. board — a committee
  14. tear — from crying
  15. board — to get on
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. object — a thing
  21. game — wild animals
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. object — an aim
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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