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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fine — high quality
  7. tube — the underground
  8. march — the month
  9. chip — to eat
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. file — a document
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. prune — to trim
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. march — the month
  19. vault — a safe
  20. tube — a container
  21. march — music
  22. file — a tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fine — all right

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