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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: vault · face · drill · key · mark · lean · chip · lie

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. vault — a safe
  6. drill — the tool
  7. face — to confront
  8. lean — thin
  9. drill — a practice
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. face — part of the head
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. key — in music
  17. chip — to eat
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. drill — army training

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