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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.

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: leaves · board · drill · press · vault · march · chip · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. press — a publisher
  4. vault — a safe
  5. march — music
  6. drill — a practice
  7. board — a committee
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. ball — a great time
  10. press — newspapers
  11. drill — army training
  12. chip — to eat
  13. march — the month
  14. press — to push
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. march — the month
  17. board — to get on
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. drill — the tool
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chip — for betting
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. board — a flat piece

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