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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 120 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: hand · vault · chip · wound · cabinet · face · bay · mouse

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. hand — in cards
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. face — to confront
  14. wound — an injury
  15. face — to point toward
  16. hand — help
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. vault — a safe
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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