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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. charge — a price
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. charge — in control
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. charge — electricity
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. tube — in a tire

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