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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 · face · bowl · pop · rock · can · wave · spring

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. pop — to visit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pop — music
  9. face — to point toward
  10. spring — the season
  11. face — part of the head
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rock — music
  16. spring — of water
  17. pop — soda
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. face — to confront
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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