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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 · trunk · roll · face · chip · rock · jam · pass

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pass — a permit
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rock — music
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. roll — a cake
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. roll — a list
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rock — a stone
  20. chip — for betting
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. face — to confront
  24. jam — in traffic

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