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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 · scale · club · press · firm · face · chair · deal

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. club — for dancing
  3. face — to confront
  4. vault — a safe
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — part of the head
  7. chair — a leader
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. scale — in music
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. club — a group
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. press — newspapers
  16. scale — size or range
  17. firm — decided
  18. press — a publisher
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. press — to push
  21. deal — to handle
  22. club — for golf
  23. face — to point toward
  24. firm — steady

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