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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.

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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: rest · pitch · vault · charge · nail · pass · saw · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. face — to point toward
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rest — what's left
  11. face — to confront
  12. rest — a break
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rest — what's left
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pass — a permit
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. charge — a price
  24. saw — the tool

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