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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. chip — to eat
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. degree — an amount
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. vault — a safe
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chip — for betting
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. ball — a great time
  17. present — a gift
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. degree — temperature
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bowl — a dish

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