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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cell — a phone
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cell — in biology
  8. fine — all right
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fine — high quality
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rush — hurry
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fall — the season
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. fine — a penalty

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