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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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. net — in sport
  4. chip — for betting
  5. season — of the year
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. season — in sport
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rash — a series
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pound — a weight
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. net — for catching
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. net — after costs
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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