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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: bay · chip · track · board · bulb · shower · vault · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. vault — a safe
  5. shower — rain
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. shower — to wash
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — a song
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. chip — for betting
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. track — a path
  23. wax — to grow
  24. track — to keep track

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