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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: chip · ground · pass · foot · bat · vault · spring · degree

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. degree — temperature
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. spring — of water
  9. degree — an amount
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bat — the animal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. spring — the season
  16. degree — from a university
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. ground — a position
  20. chip — to eat
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. spring — a coil
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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