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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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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: net · chip · tube · bear · object · bound · current · vault

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bound — obliged
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. vault — a safe
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. object — a thing
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. tube — the underground
  13. net — in sport
  14. object — an aim
  15. bound — certain
  16. net — after costs
  17. bound — tied together
  18. tube — a container
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. current — electric
  21. chip — for betting
  22. current — of water
  23. object — to protest
  24. current — happening now

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