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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · craft · rule · rash · jam · vault · face · lean

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. face — part of the head
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. craft — boats
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rule — government
  9. face — to confront
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lean — thin
  22. rule — a law
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rash — on the skin

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