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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 116 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: net · vault · nail · plane · face · can · cabinet · firm

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. net — in sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. vault — a safe
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. net — after costs
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. can — to be able to
  17. face — part of the head
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. firm — decided
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. plane — a tool
  24. net — for catching

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