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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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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: rule · foot · fine · press · face · nail · vault · content

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. vault — a safe
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. face — to confront
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. press — to push
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. content — the amount
  14. press — a publisher
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. face — part of the head
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fine — all right
  19. rule — government
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. content — happy
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rule — a law
  24. fine — high quality

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