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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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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 · bark · root · arm · vault · scale · suit · leaves

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. root — of a word
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. scale — in music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. root — of a plant
  16. vault — a safe
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. scale — size or range
  21. root — the cause
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. chip — for betting
  24. suit — clothes

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