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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. chip — to eat
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. net — in sport
  12. row — to paddle
  13. net — for catching
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. kid — to tease
  18. net — after costs
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. club — for golf
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. kid — child
  24. row — a line

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