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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: chip · stock · file · root · vault · chest · wave · can

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. chest — of your body
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chest — of your body
  8. root — the cause
  9. file — a tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. root — of a word
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. chest — a box
  15. chip — for betting
  16. file — a document
  17. root — of a plant
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. can — to be able to
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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