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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: hand · content · scale · vault · bank · bore · chip · racket

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. scale — in music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. hand — help
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. bank — of a river
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bank — for money
  15. chip — to eat
  16. vault — a safe
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bank — for money
  19. scale — size or range
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bore — to tire
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. hand — part of the body

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