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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: can · face · last · pit · bowl · cabinet · vault · perch

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. can — a tin
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pit — a hole
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. can — a tin
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. face — part of the head
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. last — finally
  17. last — final
  18. vault — a safe
  19. last — to go on
  20. perch — the fish
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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