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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. date — the fruit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. squash — to crush
  5. charge — a price
  6. vault — a safe
  7. squash — the sport
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chest — of your body
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chest — a box
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. charge — in control
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. ball — a dance
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pass — a permit
  24. squash — the vegetable

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