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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chip — to eat
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — a company
  6. perch — the fish
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. saw — the tool
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for dancing
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. club — for golf
  20. chip — for betting
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. perch — for a bird

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