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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · vault · pop · wound · bowl · calf · chip · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. object — a thing
  10. sharp — clever
  11. object — to protest
  12. pop — music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. object — an aim
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. vault — a safe
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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