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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 · rash · mate · object · cabinet · arm · last

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. last — to go on
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mate — a friend
  9. last — finally
  10. face — to confront
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rash — a series
  13. face — part of the head
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. last — final
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. face — to point toward
  21. object — to protest
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mate — to breed
  24. arm — part of the body

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