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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.

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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mug — a face
  6. chip — for betting
  7. land — to come down
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fall — the season
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. land — ground
  18. vault — a safe
  19. land — a country
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fall — to drop
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. foot — the bottom

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