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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: fall · face · drill · bear · vault · toast · rest · scale

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. drill — army training
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — the tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fall — the season
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rest — what's left
  15. scale — size or range
  16. toast — bread
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bear — the animal
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — to point toward
  23. scale — in music
  24. rest — a break

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