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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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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: ball · vault · pit · stand · kick · cell · face · suit

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. kick — in football
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. face — to point toward
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cell — a phone
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ball — a dance
  22. face — to confront
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — clothes

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