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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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Word bank
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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: sharp · vault · stem · face · bound · foot · plane · chip

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. face — to confront
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. vault — a safe
  10. plane — a tool
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bound — obliged
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stem — to come from
  15. face — to point toward
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. sharp — clever
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bound — certain
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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