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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: band · content · vault · spell · suit · dip · foot · chip

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. band — a ring
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. spell — a short time
  6. chip — for betting
  7. suit — in cards
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. content — the amount
  12. band — a music group
  13. suit — to fit
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — clothes
  19. spell — letters
  20. vault — a safe
  21. spell — magic
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. content — happy

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