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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: vault · ball · lean · kick · face · track · date · chip

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. kick — in football
  3. track — a song
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. face — to point toward
  6. track — a path
  7. face — to confront
  8. chip — for betting
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. track — to keep track
  15. date — the fruit
  16. chip — to eat
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. ball — a great time
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. vault — a safe
  24. kick — with a leg

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