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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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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: face · fork · bay · net · mark · deal · vault · land

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. land — ground
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fork — in a road
  8. net — in sport
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. land — to come down
  11. vault — a safe
  12. net — after costs
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. land — a country
  15. mark — a trace
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. face — to confront
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mark — a grade
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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