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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. fall — to drop
  3. chip — for betting
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — a leader
  10. club — for golf
  11. vault — a safe
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group

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