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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pit · land · key · chip · vault · degree · coach · game

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. key — for a lock
  4. degree — an amount
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. vault — a safe
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. land — ground
  11. game — wild animals
  12. degree — from a university
  13. chip — for betting
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. land — to come down
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. land — a country
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. game — a match
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pit — a hole
  22. degree — temperature
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. key — in music

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