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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. squash — the sport
  3. chip — to eat
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cell — in biology
  6. squash — to crush
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mark — a trace
  10. current — of water
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. current — happening now
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cell — a phone
  16. chip — for betting
  17. vault — a safe
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. current — electric
  21. band — a music group
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. band — a ring

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