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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 120 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 · chip · pound · bore · rock · sharp · bulb · fan

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. board — to get on
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chip — to eat
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. board — a committee
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bore — to drill
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rock — music
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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