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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.

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: coach · temple · mouse · vault · shower · face · lash · current

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. vault — a safe
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — happening now
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. current — of water
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. face — part of the head
  14. shower — rain
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. current — electric
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — to wash
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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