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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: pop · roll · spell · vault · drill · scale · chip · trunk

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. drill — the tool
  3. spell — letters
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. roll — a list
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. drill — a practice
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. spell — magic
  15. pop — to visit
  16. roll — a cake
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. spell — a short time
  19. scale — size or range
  20. vault — a safe
  21. drill — army training
  22. pop — soda
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. scale — in music

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