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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 120 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: can · ball · object · vault · straw · face · ground · pound

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. ground — crushed
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. object — an aim
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. ground — the earth
  14. face — to confront
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ground — a position
  21. object — a thing
  22. pound — a weight
  23. ball — a great time
  24. object — to protest

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