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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. spring — of water
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chip — for betting
  9. object — to protest
  10. press — to push
  11. deal — to handle
  12. vault — a safe
  13. spring — the season
  14. chip — to eat
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pit — in a race
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pit — a hole
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. spring — a coil
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — a publisher
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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