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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 116 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: last · vault · face · wound · object · chair · pit · wax

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wound — an injury
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. last — finally
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. last — to go on
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. last — final
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. object — to protest
  15. face — to confront
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. object — an aim
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. vault — a safe
  22. face — part of the head
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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