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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: lie · vault · face · file · fork · staff · saw · bowl

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. lie — to recline
  8. file — a tool
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. saw — the tool
  13. face — to confront
  14. staff — employees
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. file — a document
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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