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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · vault · kid · mine · saw · chip · fan · suit

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — for betting
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. kid — child
  6. mine — for digging
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. vault — a safe
  9. kid — to tease
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. can — a tin
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. can — a tin
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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