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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: ball · pit · race · object · chip · prune · shower · board

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. object — a thing
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pit — a hole
  5. chip — for betting
  6. object — to protest
  7. prune — to trim
  8. shower — rain
  9. board — a committee
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. race — a contest
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ball — a great time
  16. race — humankind
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. object — an aim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. race — the arms race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. board — a flat piece
  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