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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.

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: vault · patient · leaves · fan · board · chip · date · bore

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. date — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bore — to tire
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. board — a committee
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — to drill
  20. chip — for betting
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. chip — to eat

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