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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 120 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
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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: squash · face · vault · charge · court · can · bay · fine

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. squash — to crush
  3. face — to confront
  4. court — for sport
  5. fine — high quality
  6. can — a tin
  7. court — of a king
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. face — to point toward
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fine — all right
  17. squash — the sport
  18. vault — a safe
  19. court — of law
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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