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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 116 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: present · hand · bore · chip · safe · mine · vault · board

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mine — for digging
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. board — a committee
  7. bore — to drill
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. hand — in cards
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chip — to eat
  13. board — to get on
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hand — help
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bore — to tire

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