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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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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — for betting
  5. vault — a safe
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pass — a permit
  8. fall — the season
  9. court — of a king
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. court — for sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. chip — to eat
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. board — to get on
  17. court — of law
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bank — of a river
  22. board — a committee
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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