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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. chip — to eat
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. vault — a safe
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chip — for betting
  12. game — a match
  13. face — to point toward
  14. chest — a box
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. press — a publisher
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — wild animals
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chest — of your body
  24. face — part of the head

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