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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: vault · bowl · file · prune · press · face · lash · saw

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. file — a document
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. prune — to trim
  6. saw — the tool
  7. file — a tool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. face — to point toward
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. vault — a safe
  15. file — a line of people
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. face — part of the head
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. face — to confront

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