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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wound — an injury
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bass — the fish
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rock — music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bass — low music
  24. chip — to eat

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