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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · capital · spring · vault · saw · chip · suit · stand

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. saw — the tool
  6. spring — the season
  7. vault — a safe
  8. capital — a city
  9. suit — in cards
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. chip — to eat
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. spring — a coil
  19. board — to get on
  20. stand — to bear
  21. capital — money
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. chip — for betting
  24. spring — of water

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