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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: vault · wave · coach · degree · key · pitcher · bank · chip

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — to eat
  5. key — in music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. degree — from a university
  12. vault — a safe
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. key — for a lock
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. degree — an amount
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. degree — temperature

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