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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. deal — to handle
  4. degree — from a university
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chip — for betting
  7. plane — a tool
  8. key — in music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. chest — of your body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. key — for a lock
  13. degree — temperature
  14. vault — a safe
  15. key — the most important part
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. degree — an amount
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chest — a box
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. chest — of your body

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