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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: chip · deal · key · track · dip · vault · cell · stock

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. track — a song
  3. cell — a phone
  4. stock — shares
  5. vault — a safe
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. track — a path
  8. key — the most important part
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cell — in biology
  11. chip — to eat
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. key — for a lock
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stock — goods
  20. dip — to sink
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. key — in music
  24. cell — in a prison

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