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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. object — to protest
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. foot — a measure
  6. chip — for betting
  7. file — a line of people
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. vault — a safe
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. object — an aim
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. object — a thing
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. file — a document
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. file — a tool
  20. spring — the season
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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