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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 · bat · coach · vault · bay · hand · bank · lie

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chip — to eat
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bank — for money
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bank — of a river
  16. hand — help
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hand — in cards
  20. chip — for betting
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bank — for money
  24. lie — an untruth

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