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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · dip · face · fine · board · vault · chip · rest

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. board — a committee
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rest — what's left
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fine — high quality
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — a safe
  13. chip — to eat
  14. row — a line
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. board — to get on
  18. face — to confront
  19. rest — a break
  20. row — to paddle
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fine — all right
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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