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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: field · wave · kick · rush · face · fan · mark · vault

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kick — in football
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. face — to confront
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mark — a grade
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. field — for sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. field — a subject
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. kick — a thrill

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