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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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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: temple · bass · cell · root · wax · patient · chip · vault

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. chip — for betting
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cell — in biology
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. root — the cause
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — a phone
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bass — low music
  17. wax — to grow
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. root — of a word
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bass — the fish
  24. temple — a place of worship

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