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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · bulb · chip · fine · stand · game

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fine — high quality
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. vault — a safe
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fine — all right
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. game — a match

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