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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: row · lie · face · spell · vault · pitch · wave · chip

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. face — to point toward
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. chip — for betting
  10. vault — a safe
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spell — letters
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. row — a line
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. chip — to eat
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pitch — completely
  24. row — a quarrel

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