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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.

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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: deal · squash · fork · rest · face · vault · mine · can

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. squash — to crush
  3. can — a tin
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — for digging
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. face — part of the head
  12. can — a tin
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. face — to confront
  18. rest — a break
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rest — what's left
  24. can — to be able to

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