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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 116 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 · wave · ball · bank · vault · season · chip · pound

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. season — of the year
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ball — a great time
  12. face — to confront
  13. bank — for money
  14. ball — a dance
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bank — for money
  22. season — in sport
  23. chip — for betting
  24. face — part of the head

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