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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: racket · game · board · root · chip · shower · ruler · vault

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. chip — to eat
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. game — wild animals
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. shower — to wash
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. game — a match
  11. root — the cause
  12. board — a committee
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. root — of a word
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. chip — for betting
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. board — to get on

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