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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. net — after costs
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pitch — completely
  19. net — for catching
  20. craft — boats
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. net — in sport
  24. craft — a handicraft

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