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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 116 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cue — a signal
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. band — a music group
  7. cue — for pool
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chip — to eat
  15. net — for catching
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. net — after costs
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. net — in sport
  20. band — a ring
  21. game — a match
  22. cue — a hint
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. game — wild animals

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