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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: lie · face · vault · pass · game · plane · fork · dip

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. game — a match
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. face — to point toward
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fork — in a road
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. game — wild animals
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — a safe
  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