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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. court — for sport
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. field — for sport
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. field — farmland
  9. face — to confront
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. face — part of the head
  13. court — of a king
  14. field — a subject
  15. court — of law
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bank — for money
  18. bore — to tire
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bore — to drill
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. face — to point toward

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