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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.

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: rash · fine · vault · craft · dip · mine · bat · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rash — hasty
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bat — the animal
  15. craft — boats
  16. fine — high quality
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rash — a series
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fine — all right

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