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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 120 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 · key · tear · vault · pit · root · lash · degree

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pit — in a race
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. degree — from a university
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. key — the most important part
  19. vault — a safe
  20. key — for a lock
  21. degree — an amount
  22. chip — for betting
  23. degree — temperature
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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