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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mug — to rob
  4. cold — not warm
  5. chip — for betting
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. vault — a safe
  11. toast — bread
  12. swing — music
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — an illness
  19. chair — a leader
  20. mug — a face
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. toast — the most admired

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