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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · hide · lie · court · sharp · face · vault · land

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. face — part of the head
  4. court — for sport
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lie — to recline
  9. face — to confront
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. land — a country
  15. court — of law
  16. face — to point toward
  17. court — of a king
  18. deal — to handle
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. sharp — clever
  21. land — to come down
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — a safe

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