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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rest — a break
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. chip — to eat
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wound — an injury
  12. toast — bread
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wound — an injury
  16. vault — a safe
  17. spell — letters
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rest — what's left
  23. spell — magic
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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