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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. row — a line
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. row — to paddle
  7. chip — to eat
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. tube — a container
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. chip — for betting
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pitch — completely
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mouse — the animal

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