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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: chip · ball · bay · sharp · vault · can · cap · pop

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. can — a tin
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pop — music
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cap — a hat
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. chip — for betting
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pop — soda
  19. ball — a dance
  20. chip — to eat
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. sharp — clever

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