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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 120 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. vault — a safe
  3. file — a document
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. chip — to eat
  6. land — to come down
  7. capital — money
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. chip — for betting
  10. file — a tool
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. file — a line of people
  13. land — a country
  14. capital — a city
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mug — a cup
  24. capital — a big letter

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