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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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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bass — low music
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fine — all right
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. face — to confront
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wake — a trail
  15. vault — a safe
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. face — part of the head
  24. nail — for a hammer

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