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

Word bank: ruler · hide · vault · content · chip · spell

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spell — letters
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — magic
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. chip — in a computer

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