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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: stick · rash · chip · suit · roll · bay · spell · vault

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. vault — a safe
  3. roll — a list
  4. spell — magic
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. chip — to eat
  7. suit — to fit
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. spell — letters
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. rash — a series
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rash — hasty

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