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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: tube · board · bowl · face · rush · bulb · vault · prune

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — to get on
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. face — to confront
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rush — hurry
  15. prune — to trim
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. tube — a container
  23. board — a committee
  24. tube — the underground

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