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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: pound · chip · pitch · patient · rash · bank · board · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bank — for money
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rash — a series
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bank — for money
  17. rash — hasty
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. patient — a sick person
  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