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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bank — for money
  4. dip — to sink
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. root — of a word
  9. scale — in music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chip — for betting
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. date — the fruit
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bank — for money
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. root — the cause
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. root — of a plant
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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