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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chest — a box
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. net — after costs
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rash — a series
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. net — for catching
  18. chest — of your body
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rash — hasty
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. stand — to bear

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