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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. deal — to handle
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. charge — in control
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chip — for betting
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bass — the fish
  10. row — a line
  11. charge — a price
  12. bass — low music
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. vault — a safe
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bass — the instrument

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