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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
468
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: arm · fork · can · vault · face · nail · field · scale

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. scale — in music
  3. vault — a safe
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — a tin
  6. field — for sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. face — part of the head
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. face — to confront
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. field — farmland
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. can — a tin
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. scale — size or range
  22. field — a subject
  23. face — to point toward
  24. can — to be able to

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