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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. season — in sport
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. root — the cause
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. root — of a plant
  20. chip — to eat
  21. root — of a word
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. vault — a safe
  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