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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: vault · ground · rock · saw · cabinet · face · bank · land

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. saw — the tool
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bank — for money
  9. rock — music
  10. face — to confront
  11. ground — crushed
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. vault — a safe
  14. ground — the earth
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bank — for money
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. rock — a stone
  20. saw — the tool
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. land — ground
  23. ground — a position
  24. cabinet — ministers

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