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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. chip — to eat
  6. vault — a safe
  7. scale — in music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. scale — size or range
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. content — happy
  13. bear — the animal
  14. content — the amount
  15. stock — shares
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bulb — for light
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stock — goods

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