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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · vault · fan · pop · field · mate · lie · track

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. field — a subject
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pop — to visit
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pop — soda
  10. fork — in a road
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pop — music
  19. track — a song
  20. mate — to breed
  21. track — to keep track
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mate — a friend
  24. track — a path

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