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

Word bank: content · vault · lash · lean · ruler · face · bank · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. content — happy
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. chest — of your body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. vault — a safe
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bank — for money
  14. content — the amount
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bank — for money
  17. lean — thin
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bank — of a river
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. face — to point toward
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ruler — a monarch

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