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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 120 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: wake · safe · dip · vault · stock · arm · chip · capital

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. dip — to sink
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. capital — money
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. capital — a city
  23. wake — a trail
  24. safe — out of danger

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