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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: pit · board · rock · vault · clip · roll · fan · bank

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. roll — a list
  3. clip — a video
  4. rock — a stone
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. clip — to cut
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bank — for money
  13. rock — music
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bank — of a river
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — to get on
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. roll — a cake
  22. clip — for paper
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — to move gently

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