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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: deal · file · fan · face · key · vault · band · track

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. face — part of the head
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. key — in music
  6. band — a music group
  7. vault — a safe
  8. key — the most important part
  9. deal — to handle
  10. track — a song
  11. file — a document
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. track — to keep track
  14. key — for a lock
  15. band — a ring
  16. track — a path
  17. face — to point toward
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. file — a tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. face — to confront
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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