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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · staff · sharp · bear · vault · wound · key · board

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. sharp — clever
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. face — part of the head
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — to confront
  13. key — for a lock
  14. board — to get on
  15. staff — employees
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. vault — a safe
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bear — the animal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wound — an injury
  24. key — in music

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