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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 · capital · roll · bank · ruler · degree · vault · wax

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. degree — an amount
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. capital — money
  9. wax — to grow
  10. vault — a safe
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. roll — a list
  14. bank — for money
  15. degree — from a university
  16. capital — a city
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — for money

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