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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 116 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bank — of a river
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. band — a ring
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. band — a music group

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