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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. firm — steady
  3. roll — a cake
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a dance
  7. firm — decided
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. firm — a company
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ball — a great time
  17. lie — to recline
  18. face — part of the head
  19. roll — a list
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. vault — a safe

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