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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. kick — in football
  6. pop — to visit
  7. vault — a safe
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pop — soda
  14. suit — to fit
  15. roll — a cake
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pop — music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chip — to eat
  23. roll — a list
  24. pound — to hit hard

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