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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: wind · club · face · racket · mouse · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. club — for dancing
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. face — to confront
  8. vault — a safe
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. face — part of the head
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wind — moving air
  15. face — to point toward
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. mouse — the animal

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