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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: board · deal · vault · present · cell · sharp

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cell — a phone
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — a gift
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. present — there
  11. sharp — clever
  12. vault — a safe
  13. present — the time now
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. board — to get on

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