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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.

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: clip · stock · vault · face · key · chip · mark · squash

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. clip — to cut
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stock — shares
  5. clip — for paper
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. chip — to eat
  9. clip — a video
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stock — goods
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mark — a grade
  16. face — to point toward
  17. vault — a safe
  18. squash — the sport
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. face — to confront
  22. key — in music
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. squash — to crush

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