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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: rule · ground · face · pass · bank · plane · game · vault

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bank — of a river
  7. face — to confront
  8. game — wild animals
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rule — government
  18. ground — the earth
  19. game — a match
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rule — a law
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. plane — in geometry

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