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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: bowl · cabinet · vault · straw · pound · bear · chip · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. vault — a safe
  4. object — to protest
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pound — a weight
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pound — for dogs

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