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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: cell · land · chip · temple · vault · saw · object · bark

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. object — an aim
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. land — to come down
  4. cell — in biology
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cell — a phone
  9. vault — a safe
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. chip — for betting
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. chip — to eat
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. bark — to shout
  19. saw — the tool
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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