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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 116 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: chip · racket · safe · vault · swing · mate · saw · dip

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mate — to breed
  3. chip — to eat
  4. swing — music
  5. mate — a partner
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chip — for betting
  11. saw — the tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. vault — a safe
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. dip — to dunk

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