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

Word bank: arm · chip · stand · dip · prune · fine · tube · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. chip — to eat
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fine — all right
  14. stand — to bear
  15. dip — to sink
  16. chip — for betting
  17. vault — a safe
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fine — high quality
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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