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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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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: can · arm · sharp · current · last · vault · face · bowl

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. can — a tin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — a safe
  12. face — part of the head
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. face — to point toward
  16. can — to be able to
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. can — a tin
  19. last — to go on
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. current — electric
  22. face — to confront
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. arm — a part of something

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