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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: face · sharp · current · vault · ball · chip · bear · branch

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. sharp — clever
  3. face — part of the head
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. current — happening now
  6. chip — for betting
  7. face — to confront
  8. ball — a great time
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. current — of water
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. branch — a division
  17. bear — the animal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. current — electric
  21. bear — the animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. face — to point toward
  24. chip — in a computer

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