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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · present · stock · ruler · plane · bowl · pitch · vault

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. present — the time now
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. face — to confront
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. present — a gift
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. present — there
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. ruler — for measuring

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