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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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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: sharp · bulb · dip · bat · mine · deal · vault · object

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bulb — for light
  5. sharp — clever
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. deal — to handle
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. mine — for digging
  12. object — an aim
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. object — a thing
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. object — to protest
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. dip — to sink
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. sharp — exactly

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