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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: vault · bark · track · face · pass · sharp · ball · mug

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mug — a cup
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a face
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ball — a great time
  21. face — to point toward
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pass — to succeed

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