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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: bass · current · face · suit · vault · wound · pound · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pound — a weight
  10. current — happening now
  11. bass — low music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. current — of water
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. face — part of the head
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wound — an injury
  20. suit — to fit
  21. current — electric
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pound — for dogs

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