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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: charge · arm · chip · ruler · vault · pit · chest · degree

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chip — to eat
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. degree — temperature
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pit — in a race
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chip — for betting
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. vault — a safe
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chest — a box
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. degree — from a university
  22. charge — a price
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pit — a hole

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