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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. firm — steady
  6. mug — a face
  7. chest — a box
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mug — to rob
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chest — of your body
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. perch — the fish
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mug — a cup
  18. firm — decided
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. firm — a company
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chip — in a computer

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