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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: saw · ball · racket · perch · face · bay · cabinet · vault

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ball — a great time
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. face — to confront
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. face — to point toward
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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