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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pop — music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. vault — a safe
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. shower — rain
  13. game — a match
  14. chip — to eat
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pop — soda
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. chip — for betting
  20. craft — boats
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — to wash
  23. craft — a skill
  24. game — wild animals

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