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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: chip · wind · bear · pit · wake · vault · lie · fine

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lie — to recline
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. pit — in a race
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wind — moving air
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wake — a trail
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wind — moving air

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