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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 · vault · spring · face · game · tube · fall · temple

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. face — to point toward
  4. tube — a container
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fall — to drop
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fall — to drop
  10. spring — the season
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. vault — a safe
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fall — the season
  18. game — wild animals
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. spring — of water
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spring — a coil
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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