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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 120 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: chest · cabinet · swing · chair · vault · wound · safe · board

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. swing — in golf
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — music
  9. chest — of your body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — a safe
  13. chest — a box
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wound — an injury
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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