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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · bound · face · toast · bulb · key · rash · vault

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. vault — a safe
  3. face — part of the head
  4. content — the amount
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bulb — for light
  11. key — in music
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bulb — for light
  15. content — happy
  16. bound — tied together
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bound — obliged
  21. toast — bread
  22. bound — certain
  23. rash — hasty
  24. content — videos and posts

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