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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wake — a trail
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pitch — completely
  24. stand — for spectators

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