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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: field · file · vault · tube · ball · jam · cell · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. file — a line of people
  3. face — to confront
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. field — a subject
  9. file — a document
  10. tube — a container
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. vault — a safe
  13. face — to point toward
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. file — a tool
  16. field — farmland
  17. field — for sport
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ball — a dance
  21. tube — the underground
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cell — a phone

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