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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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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: face · fan · vault · fork · cap · bowl · foot · bank

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bank — of a river
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cap — a hat
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bank — for money
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. face — to confront
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bank — for money
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. face — to point toward

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