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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 · pound · vault · rule · bank · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rest — a break
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rule — government
  12. chip — for betting
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bank — for money
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bank — for money
  17. rule — a law
  18. pound — to hit hard

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