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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: pass · temple · vault · face · clip · hide · pit · spell

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. spell — magic
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pass — a permit
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. clip — a video
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. clip — to cut
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spell — letters
  16. vault — a safe
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pit — in a race
  20. face — to confront
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. spell — a short time

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