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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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. cap — of ice
  4. root — the cause
  5. pass — a permit
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stock — shares
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. cap — a lid
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. squash — the sport
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stock — goods
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. root — of a word
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. chip — for betting
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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