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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mine — for digging
  15. rush — hurry
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. present — a gift
  18. ball — a great time
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. dip — to sink

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