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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. chip — for betting
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. kid — to tease
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. dip — to sink
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. hand — in cards
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rock — music
  23. kid — child
  24. hand — help

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