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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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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: wind · plane · board · pit · cap · tube · chip · vault

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pit — a hole
  6. board — to get on
  7. tube — a container
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pit — in a race
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cap — a hat
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cap — of ice
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wind — moving air
  21. board — a committee
  22. tube — the underground
  23. chip — to eat
  24. plane — in geometry

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