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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 · board · safe · vault · cue · hide · pop · drill

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. march — the month
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. march — music
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cue — for pool
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. pop — soda
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. march — the month
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cue — a signal
  19. board — to get on
  20. drill — army training
  21. pop — music
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. drill — a practice
  24. hide — animal skin

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