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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. face — to point toward
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. rush — hurry
  9. spell — magic
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. spell — letters
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. vault — a safe
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. face — to confront

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