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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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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: bore · stock · kid · chip · spell · face · vault · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. face — part of the head
  3. chip — for betting
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bound — tied together
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bore — to tire
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bound — obliged
  14. vault — a safe
  15. spell — letters
  16. stock — shares
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. spell — magic
  20. bore — to drill
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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