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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 · bay · pound · coach · bank · vault

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pound — a weight
  11. chip — to eat
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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