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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · tube · board · bark · rush · racket · pass · vault

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. board — to get on
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. vault — a safe
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rush — hurry
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mine — for digging
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pass — a permit
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. tube — a container

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