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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: board · vault · can · sharp · tear · row · chip · roll

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. vault — a safe
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. tear — from crying
  7. sharp — clever
  8. chip — to eat
  9. tear — to rip
  10. chip — for betting
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. roll — a list
  13. can — a tin
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. board — a committee
  16. can — a tin
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. board — to get on
  23. tear — from crying
  24. roll — a cake

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