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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: pass · trunk · mug · vault · swing · object · pit · face

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pit — in a race
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. object — to protest
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pass — a permit
  8. object — an aim
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pit — a hole
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mug — to rob
  13. vault — a safe
  14. face — part of the head
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. face — to confront
  19. object — a thing
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. swing — music
  24. pass — to spend time

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