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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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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rule — government
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rule — a law
  22. vault — a safe
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a great time

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