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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. chip — to eat
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mug — a face
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. present — there
  16. chest — of your body
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — the time now
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — a box
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. chip — for betting

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