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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 124 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stand — to bear
  3. cap — a lid
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bore — to drill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. net — in sport
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fine — high quality
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cap — a hat
  13. net — after costs
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fine — all right
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bore — to tire

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