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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: plane · face · press · dip · vault · nail · foot · chip

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. press — newspapers
  8. vault — a safe
  9. face — part of the head
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. plane — a tool
  12. foot — a measure
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — to confront
  15. press — a publisher
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. press — to push
  19. dip — to sink
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. face — to point toward
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chip — to eat

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