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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.

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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: object · kid · current · face · track · vault · perch · fall

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. face — part of the head
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. kid — to tease
  6. face — to point toward
  7. current — happening now
  8. track — a path
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. object — a thing
  16. fall — the season
  17. perch — the fish
  18. current — of water
  19. track — to keep track
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. face — to confront
  23. kid — child
  24. track — a song

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