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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: chip · rule · land · chair · vault · charge · board · bay

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. charge — in control
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. land — to come down
  8. board — to get on
  9. land — a country
  10. board — a committee
  11. charge — a price
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chair — a leader
  14. vault — a safe
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. charge — electricity
  23. land — ground
  24. board — a flat piece

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