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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — a price
  4. content — happy
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. chip — for betting
  9. charge — in control
  10. dip — to sink
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stem — to come from
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. charge — electricity
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. content — the amount
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. ball — a dance
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. chip — to eat

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