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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 · key · bowl · vault · spell · chip · prune · bulb

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. key — for a lock
  11. spell — letters
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — to get on
  14. chip — to eat
  15. key — the most important part
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. spell — a short time
  18. board — a committee
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chip — for betting
  23. spell — magic
  24. key — in music

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