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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. swing — in golf
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. spring — of water
  6. object — a thing
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — steady
  9. spring — a coil
  10. chip — to eat
  11. swing — music
  12. object — an aim
  13. firm — decided
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. swing — to play on
  20. vault — a safe
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. firm — a company
  23. object — to protest
  24. chip — for betting

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