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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mine — for digging
  4. suit — to fit
  5. content — happy
  6. spell — magic
  7. chip — for betting
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. spell — a short time
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. spell — letters
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. kick — in football
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bear — the animal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. content — the amount

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