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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: snap · chip · present · coach · mark · wax · kid · vault

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. vault — a safe
  5. present — the time now
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mark — a grade
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. kid — to tease
  11. snap — to click
  12. chip — to eat
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. present — there
  15. kid — child
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wax — to grow
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mark — a trace
  20. present — a gift
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. chip — for betting

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