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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: pop · face · vault · safe · arm · bulb · ground · saw

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ground — crushed
  4. vault — a safe
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ground — a position
  7. face — part of the head
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pop — soda
  11. ground — the earth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pop — to visit
  15. saw — the tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. face — to point toward
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pop — music
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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