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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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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: bowl · chair · board · race · wake · pound · staff · vault

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. race — a contest
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. vault — a safe
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. staff — a stick
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pound — a weight
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. board — a committee
  17. race — humankind
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. board — to get on
  24. wake — before a funeral

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