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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: stand · chip · bat · scale · object · hide · rock · vault

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. scale — size or range
  6. object — a thing
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. object — an aim
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — music
  14. scale — in music
  15. bat — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. chip — to eat
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. object — to protest
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stand — to bear

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