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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: bat · mate · ruler · face · vault · track · bowl · mouse

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. track — a song
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bat — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. face — to confront
  20. mate — to breed
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. track — a path

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