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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 · cell · calf · vault · nail · suit · rock · bat

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — a phone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cell — in biology
  13. board — to get on
  14. rock — music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rock — a stone
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. board — a committee
  20. bat — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. suit — in cards
  24. calf — a young animal

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