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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bore — to tire
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spring — the season
  8. band — a music group
  9. spring — a coil
  10. chip — for betting
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. saw — the tool
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fine — all right
  18. spring — of water
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. band — a ring
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chip — to eat

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