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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chip — to eat
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — high quality
  5. key — in music
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. key — the most important part
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chest — of your body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. chest — a box
  14. key — for a lock
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chip — for betting
  24. stock — shares

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