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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: ruler · row · vault · chip · shower · key · charge · game

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. charge — electricity
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. key — in music
  7. shower — rain
  8. game — a match
  9. charge — in control
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. row — to paddle
  12. game — wild animals
  13. chip — for betting
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. charge — a price
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. chip — to eat
  19. key — for a lock
  20. shower — to wash
  21. vault — a safe
  22. key — the most important part
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. row — a line

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