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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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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 · racket · ground · vault · race · face · coach · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. face — to point toward
  3. race — the arms race
  4. face — part of the head
  5. vault — a safe
  6. face — to confront
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. race — humankind
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — for catching
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. net — in sport
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ground — a position
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ground — crushed
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. race — a contest
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. net — after costs
  24. racket — a loud noise

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