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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. vault — a safe
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — for betting
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. band — a music group
  13. can — to be able to
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. can — a tin
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. band — a ring
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pop — to visit
  21. can — a tin
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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