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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: face · deal · chip · swing · saw · vault · key · temple

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. swing — in golf
  3. face — to point toward
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. key — the most important part
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chip — for betting
  8. vault — a safe
  9. face — part of the head
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. key — in music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. deal — to handle
  19. swing — music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. swing — to play on
  22. chip — to eat
  23. face — to confront
  24. key — for a lock

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