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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chip — to eat
  4. present — the time now
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. content — the amount
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. content — happy
  13. present — a gift
  14. root — the cause
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. craft — boats
  19. present — there
  20. root — of a plant
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. root — of a word
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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