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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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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: vault · nail · bowl · net · band · pop · chip · bore

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chip — to eat
  3. band — a ring
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. band — a music group
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pop — music
  10. net — after costs
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bore — to tire
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pop — soda
  20. net — in sport
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pop — to visit
  23. net — for catching
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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