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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: vault · face · staff · game · bank · prune · spell · rock

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. staff — a stick
  4. spell — letters
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. prune — to trim
  9. spell — magic
  10. rock — music
  11. game — a match
  12. prune — to trim
  13. face — part of the head
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. face — to confront
  16. staff — employees
  17. spell — a short time
  18. vault — a safe
  19. staff — employees
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. game — wild animals
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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