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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: kick · sharp · net · chip · vault · race · object · deal

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. sharp — clever
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. kick — in football
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. net — after costs
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. object — to protest
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. net — for catching
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. chip — to eat
  22. object — an aim
  23. net — in sport
  24. race — a contest

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