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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bulb — for light
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stock — shares
  6. pop — music
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. net — for catching
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pop — to visit
  11. net — after costs
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. net — in sport
  17. pop — soda
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chip — to eat
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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