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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · pitcher · vault · file · track · pass · scale · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. vault — a safe
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. file — a tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. track — a song
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. track — a path
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. file — a document
  23. track — to keep track
  24. file — a line of people

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