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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stock — goods
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pop — music
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bore — to tire
  11. chip — for betting
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pop — soda
  16. plane — a tool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stock — shares
  24. plane — in geometry

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