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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.

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: bear · bore · game · can · board · vault · mate · object

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. board — to get on
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mate — a partner
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. object — a thing
  7. game — a match
  8. board — a committee
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — to protest
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bear — the animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bore — to drill
  19. object — an aim
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bear — to put up with

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